DATE: December 9, 2021                    

CONTACT: Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
(301) 609-6557 or (240) 682-1658

On December 2, a Charles County Sheriff’s school resource officer was made aware of suspicious activity that occurred outside of school, but involved students. A preliminary investigation revealed a student at Mattawoman Middle School was on an online video chat with students at Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School when he made a remark that he should shoot students at Jenifer Elementary. One of the students reported the conversation to a school administrator who contacted the school resource officer. The parents of the student who made the remark and the parents of the students who were online when the remark was made were notified. An investigation was completed and reviewed with the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office who determined the facts of the case did not rise to the level of criminal charges and the case will continue to be mitigated by the Charles County Public Schools.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is committed to the safety and well-being of students and staff. All threats and rumors related to schools are thoroughly investigated by a Charles County Sheriff’s school resource officer. Parents are reminded to talk with their children about the dangers and consequences of making threats of violence. In addition, parents are urged to talk with their children about using social media and the internet in a responsible manner. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous, but provide information about threats or criminal activity at schools may contact the confidential tip line at CCPS at 301-302-8305.  

 The Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in 2001 and has since earned the highest rating of Excellence. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com.