North Georgia Man Allegedly Threatened to Shoot Up Elementary School

According to reports, Thomas Bruce called Wauka Mountain Elementary School to check his child out of class. However, the school had been notified that he was not authorized to sign him out of school because of a recent custody battle with the mother. 

The mother soon after called police reporting that Bruce had called her and said he was going to shoot up the school. Wauka Mountain Elementary then put the school under lockdown. 

Bruce is currently in Hall County Jail with no bond on charges of felony terroristic threats and misdemeanor disruption of a school. 

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the offense of terroristic threats in today's post so that my readers can better understand what Bruce has been accused of doing. 

Terroristic Threats in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines the crime of making terroristic threats in Georgia as:

When a person threatens to commit any crime of violence, to release any hazardous substance, or to burn or damage any property with the purpose of terrorizing another or of causing the evacuation of a building, place of assembly, or facility of public transportation or otherwise causing serious public inconvenience or in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience. O.C.G.A. §16-11-37.

The crime of terroristic threats can be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances and details of the offense. The diving line between the felony and misdemeanor version of terroristic threats is the suggestion of the death of the victim/victims. 

If convicted of misdemeanor terroristic threats, the penalty can include up to 12 months in jail, fines up to $1,000, or both jail time and fines. And if convicted of felony terroristic threats, the penalty increases to the chance of up to five years in prison, fines, or both. 

Practice Note

As a defense attorney, I always make note that not everyone who is accused of committing a criminal act is guilty of committing that act. The accusation of terroristic threats is a very serious accusation with serious consequences if convicted. 

The penalties for a terroristic threats accusation can increase even further if the threat is intended to retaliate or threaten any person attending a judicial proceeding, law enforcement officer, community supervision officer, probation officer, prosecutor, of judge. 

If you or a loved one has been accused of committing a crime in Georgia, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney today. 

We can investigate all the details in your case and determine which of the Georgia Criminal Defenses best applies. Contact us now.