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On Friday, a student at DuPont Middle School and a student at Sissonville Middle School also were charged with making terroristic threats.

All cases are being handled in juvenile court. Juvenile court records are confidential. The arrests come after a surge in threats of violence against schools throughout the country.

Felony offense

Rusnak said she didn’t think the juveniles were working together.

“I do believe it is juveniles doing juvenile things and exhibiting criminal behavior,� she said.

However, under state law, simply making the threat is a felony, even without an intention to carry out the threat.

“Children need to be mindful that words matter, that actions have consequences and that the things they say have consequences,� Rusnak said.

South Charleston lockdown

Also Monday, South Charleston High School was on lockdown following the discovery of four loose .22-caliber rifle shells in a bathroom stall. The lockdown was lifted in less than an hour, but there will be extra patrols this week.

Kanawha County Schools students kept home due to the threats can receive an excused absence if a note is sent in within three days of the student returning.

Statewide numbers

A spokesperson with the state Department of Homeland Security said threats are coming from both inside and outside the state.

About 15 people — adults and juveniles — have been charged in West Virginia related to terroristic threats toward schools, according to data from Robert Cunningham, deputy secretary of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security.

There has been at least one threat in 33 of West Virginia’s 55 counties with a total of 143 reported threats between Sept. 5 and Sept. 16.

In the latest school shooting, on Sept. 4, two teachers and two students were killed in a school shooting at an Atlanta-area high school.