CHINA GROVE — After concerning content on a China Grove Middle School student’s iPad was discovered by administrators last week, local police were called in to investigate.

China Grove Police Chief Andrew Deal confirmed the incident began on March 15, when Rowan-Salisbury School staff notified his department about the threatening nature of the content, which reportedly included the names of several students and staff members.

In a message to China Grove Middle School families earlier this week, Principal Rikki Baldwin explained what transpired, saying, “A student reported to administrators that he had seen something on another student’s computer that caused him to become concerned. Despite his nerves, he reported what he saw to administrators, and his willingness to speak up helped us begin an investigation.”

Following the revelation, the school administrators contacted the China Grove Police Department.

“We began an investigation and are moving quickly to gather facts,” Deal said in a press release on Tuesday. “Multiple search warrants have been completed to ensure the safety of all students and staff.”

On Wednesday, Deal said that during the execution of those search warrants at the student’s home, investigators did not find any evidence that would indicate there was any preparation to carry out acts of violence.

“The detective is still executing some additional search warrants to clear up,” Deal said.

Deal added that, as for the electronic devices, “you have to have search warrants to search those.”

On Monday, the school system notified families of students and staff mentioned on the list and, ultimately, families of the remaining student body the following day.

“As we have interviewed additional students, each of them has provided us with important information, and their willingness to speak up has been key throughout this process,” Baldwin said in the school-wide message.

During a Wednesday phone call, Rowan-Salisbury School System’s Director of Marketing & Communications Michelle Shue commended the student who came forward.

“How fortunate we are that we had a student who saw something that concerned them, and then they reported it,” Shue said. “It avoided a potential real issue. It was the best-case scenario of a kid who saw something and a kid who then said something so that we were able to step in and investigate and found evidence of a situation that really needs attention.”

Baldwin’s message echoed Shue’s remarks.

“We do want to celebrate students who saw something that didn’t feel right and said something to a trusted adult,” Baldwin said. “Being brave enough to stand up and speak out is an important skill that enables students to protect themselves and each other. We are so proud of these kids.”

From the time the incident was revealed to the dissemination of the school-wide message, the school system’s steps aligned with its protocols.

“Things have to move in the right order,” Shue said. “Sometimes, that takes time. We waited and let China Grove PD conduct their investigations.”

The families of the students mentioned were contacted first, and then the broader message was communicated.

“People want to know things faster, but we deal in fact,” Shue said. “We wanted to make sure that we had all the facts of the situation first.”

The principal urged families to take this situation as an opportunity to teach their children about situational awareness and knowing when to seek assistance from an adult.

“Please be assured that we take all reports from students seriously, investigate every situation, and do all that we can to assess potential threats,” Baldwin said. “We hope that you will use this situation to have a conversation at home with your students about paying attention to their classmates and any behaviors that might cause them concerns. Make sure that your student knows how to report an incident either on the school or RSS website under ‘report a safety concern’ or by simply telling a trusted adult in the building.”

As for the student at the center of the controversy, given their juvenile status, their identity and other personal information has been withheld. Baldwin’s message did offer some details, however, on how those types of situations are handled.

“While we cannot discuss the student of concern or the discipline we have assigned in this matter, we can assure you that we have followed the RSS Code of Conduct for this level of student behavior and will take the needed steps to ensure the safety of students at China Grove Middle School,” Baldwin said.

On Wednesday, while not discussing the specific student, Shue said that students found to be violating the code of conduct for extreme acts could receive up to a 10-day suspension with a recommendation for an alternative school placement, such as Henderson Independent High School.

“Sometimes, behaviors and the things that take place are extreme enough that we would recommend an alternative placement,” Shue said. “It might also mean they are put on some sort of virtual program. Alternative placement means they would not return to the schools where the incident takes place.”

Shue also touched on the safety measures and protocols in place to keep local students safe.

“Every step we take with our metal detectors and practicing drills, everything we do to practice safety, makes our schools safer,” Shue said. “They are safer today than they were last week, last month or even yesterday. We are working every day to make sure our students can go to school and return home safely.”

In the release from the China Grove Police Department, Deal spoke to how the investigation would unfold from a legal standpoint.

“We must follow the law, but we want the community to know that we are investigating the incident to the fullest extent,” he said. “When the investigation is finished, we will present our findings to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Rowan County District Attorney’s Office.”