Threats made via Snap Chat by Hickory High School Student directed toward Schools in Caldwell County and Catawba County

LENOIR, NC (February 19, 2020) — On February 18, 2020, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office received a report of multiple threats of violence from a snap chat account being operated by an unknown user. A student at Hibriten found the threats and notified their SRO who made the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office aware. The snap chat account stated the threats were directed at students and faculty of Hickory High School, and West Caldwell High School. Once the report was received Members of the Hickory Police Department, State Bureau of Investigation, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office worked together with the Caldwell and Catawba County School Systems to ensure the safety of the students at both schools.

Investigators made an emergency request for user information related to the account the threats were made through and the phone number associated with that account. The records revealed the posts were uploaded to Snap Chat from a location inside the City of Hickory. Investigators were able to determine the cell phone number that made the threats and the person who owned the account. The owner of the phone was located, and the phone was seized. A search warrant on the phone revealed evidence that confirmed this phone was used to make the threats.

On 2/19/2020, Jaleya Rashea Allen, age 18, a student at Hickory High School was charged with two counts of Communicating Threats of Mass Violence on Educational Property. Allen was given a $5,000.00 secured bond and has a first appearance in District Court in Catawba County.