Troy, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — “It puts parents in fear, it puts faculty and staff in schools in fear. School boards and principals, they have to decide, ‘What are we going to do about this?'”
It’s easy to believe online threats have no meaning behind them. But there are times when ignoring threatening comments can have tragic outcomes. George Beaudry, Chief of Police at the Troy University Police Department, says it is always the best option to come forward if you hear something online or in person.
“If anybody sees anything at all, whether it be in writing on social media, whether it be something they hear in a classroom, whether it be something they hear at the grocery store,” Beaudry said. “Don’t assume it’s nothing. If you see something, say something.”
Beaudry says to be aware of concerning changes in behavior. Oftentimes, people come forward with information too late.
“Statistically, we find out after a mass shooting incident that there were warning signs. There were things that were done that people thought were odd, but didn’t report.”
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According to the FBI, some of these signs include isolation, comments or jokes about violence, reduced interest in hobbies, or sudden and unexpected changes in appearance.
If you are worried about what will happen to someone after reporting them, Beaudry says it is not always necessary to detain someone.
“We can do threat assessments without [them] ever knowing that we’re looking at it. And we can determine in a lot of cases that we don’t have to go pick [them] Up. So, I encourage people not to be concerned about what might happen if they report.”
Beaudry wants people to know that any threat should not be taken lightly, no matter what the intention behind it was. If you have seen or heard something, do not be afraid to come forward.
“At the end of the day, there is nothing funny about it. I’d rather have a hundred incidents of nothing than have one incident of mass violence.”
If you feel the need to report something on the Troy University main campus, call 911 or contact TUPD at (334) 670-3215.
