CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Two teenagers are facing a slew of charges after authorities said they made threats against a local high school.
The suspects are identified as Alfred Dupree, 17, of Acworth, and Victoria McCurley, 17, of Woodstock. They are being charged with attempted murder and attempted arson. Both are being charged as adults.
Cherokee County sheriff's officials said they found diaries/journals, a homemade incendiary device, which was described as a flammable substance, and an undetermined powder substance during their investigation.
Deputies said it was a tip from school police prompted their investigation.
"The Cherokee Sheriff's Office wants to make sure that parents and families understand that we take this very seriously," Sgt. Marianne Kelley said. "We don't want anything to happen to students in our county, or in our community. We will do anything to protect them."
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Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds credits cooperation for the swift arrests.
"We don’t want to take anything for granted. There’s always an opportunity that something could’ve happened, and God forbid something would have," Reynolds said.
Long Pham has two children who attend Etowah High School.
“The kids' lives are over,” Pham said of the two suspects.
Channel 2's Chris Jose learned investigators received a tip and found credible evidence inside a home where one of the students live.
“From my understanding, it was not anything like a Molotov cocktail. It was substances they had located. We are obviously trying to determine what those substances were,” Kelley said.
In a letter emailed to parents on Tuesday, Principal Robert Horn said, “A community member notified police of a potential threat on Monday." And in bold letters he wrote, "At this time there are no other suspects and no active threat to Etowah High School."
"It's really giving me a chill to hear this kind of thing happening at the school both of my kids are going to," Pham told Jose.
Ansleigh Williams, a senior at Etowah High, told Jose that she and her mom received few details from the principal.
“It is quite concerning to know that students there attend and we have no idea what's going on or who they are,” Williams said.
The principal said the two students will face severe disciplinary action. But some parents are still worried.
“I will take my kids out of school. I don't want my kids to go to school if some kids are threatening to blow up the school,” Pham told Jose.
The Cherokee County School District sent a letter to parents on Wednesday pledging "severe administrative disciplinary actions" against Dupree and McClurey.