A report of a student threatening to shoot people at West Rowan Middle School was investigated by Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Thursday night, according to department public information officer Captain Mark McDaniel.

McDaniel said RCSO received a report just after 9:30 p.m. Sept. 12 from the Say Something Crisis Center that a student had threatened to shoot a member of staff and others at the school.

“Shortly after that call came in another call came in from a concerned parent with similar information,” McDaniel said in a release. “The school resource officer along with other school officials were made aware of the threats, and deputies were quickly able to identify the suspect, who is a student, and immediately made contact with that student and their parent.”

The student said they had not made the threat, denied any involvement, and the parent voluntarily allowed deputies to search the child’s room and belongings at the residence. No weapons were found.

Based on the investigation, McDaniel said at this time there are no immediate threats to staff or students.

“We take these threats to students and school staff very seriously and investigate them to the fullest extent,” the release reads. “Parents and students should understand that these type threats are a violation of law and will not be tolerated.”

Communicating a threat of mass violence on school property is a class H-Felony and McDaniel said students and parents should be aware that the sheriff’s office could choose to pursue charges in cases of threats.

Investigators with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate this incident.