LATEST UPDATE: Officials arrest 16-year-old in connection with clown threats

Law enforcement officials made the arrest around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Beauregard community. The student is facing multiple counts of "terrorist threats" involving three schools in the Beauregard area and Opelika High School.

The student, unnamed because of her juvenile status, is in custody and will be held in the juvenile detention facility pending a hearing in Lee County Juvenile Court.

Making a terrorist threat is a Class C felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to a $ 15,000 fine for an adult convicted of the offense, according to a release form the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

A Facebook post circulated Wednesday involved threats to both the high school and elementary school in Beauregard and a mention of Opelika. Auburn University officials were dealing with similar issues and posted a notice Tuesday night asking students and staff not to become involved with the social media trend but to be alert.

Clown threats in the Carolinas began the craze when unsubstantiated social media posts appeared warning that people dressed as clowns were trying to lure children into wooded areas. Various other threats since have spread nationwide, ranging from jokes to serious threats of violent action at locations such as schools.

Earlier Wednesday, Opelika City Schools were placed on lockdown, while Lee County and Auburn city schools did not go on lockdown but did notify students and parents of social media threats.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones praised the work of detectives in quickly making the arrest, and warned against others making similar threats.

“We used technology available to us to identify who she was. This was a hand-in-hand investigation with the Opelika Police Department. A lot of Opelika Police Department detectives and Lee County sheriffs’ deputies worked hard to bring this arrest,” Jones said in a statement.

“We want to emphasize the fact that if anyone is considering engaging in this activity, especially when it involves children, that we will do anything to apprehend them,” Jones said.

“This is a serious offense, even if no one has any intentions. The threat alone will elicit a quick response from law enforcement,” he said. “We will encourage that people shouldn’t do this. It disrupts the school system. Parents and children become frightened.

“We’re very pleased to be able to identify and apprehend a person we believe to be responsible for the threats.”

Schools responded quickly on Wednesday morning.

“The Opelika City Schools are aware of the information, and schools are taking precautions,” school spokeswoman Becky Brown said Wednesday morning. "We sent messages to parents, and we are on a lockdown.”

County schools, including Beauregard, quickly went on alert.

“We received word in our office this morning about the post,” said Jason Wright, assistant superintendent of Lee County schools. “School officials and authorities were alerted. We have not gone on lockdown, and we have let people know we are aware.”

Although added police patrols and public awareness increased with the threats, Wright said at no point had county schools been on lockdown.

The school system sent automated messages to parents Wednesday morning regarding the social media post, Wright said.

“Our primary focus is to provide a safe environment,” he said. “We have a heightened sense of awareness, and teachers are aware of the threat. It is truly a sense of awareness. We have not changed anything, other than the increased communication between parents.”

Auburn city schools took similar action.

“At this point we have not had a threat to Auburn City Schools,” spokesman Daniel Chesser said Wednesday. “We were made aware of the situation earlier in the week, so we went ahead and put everybody on alert.

“We’ve had a couple extra police officers come on board that are patrolling our campuses,” he said.

“We’re doing everything in our power to be proactive about the situation,” Chesser said. “We just didn’t want to create a hysteria with our students and parents and teachers and everybody if there wasn’t a threat to Auburn.

"We are aware of the Beauregard and Opelika threat. And that’s one of those things, after talking to some of the police officers and seeing some of the stuff around the state, some of this stuff is false reports.

"We’re still taking it very seriously in pursuing any kind of lead or call or complaint we that get, but at this point we are on a heightened awareness but no official lockdown. Class is carrying on as normal for us.”

Jones said his department received many calls in reference to the social media post.

“We take any comment or perceived threat seriously,” the sheriff said. “What we do on any given day is have school resource officers out. They are vigilant to any threats that are presented to the school system. They are certainly taking safety precautions. We will address any threat that comes up, whether it’s a hoax or accidental.”

The Opelika Police Department also issued a statement Wednesday morning:

"Earlier today the Opelika Police Department received information concerning a potential threat ... directed toward Opelika High School. A similar threat was also received directed toward the Lee County School System.

"Working together with the Opelika City School System and the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, additional security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of all children in the school system.

"Opelika Police Department investigators are working closely with investigators from the Lee County Sheriff’s Department to identify the person(s) responsible.

"Anyone with any information is asked to call the Investigative Services Division of the Opelika Police Department at (334) 705-5220 or to call our Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665 or the Lee County Sheriff’s Department Investigations at (334) 737-7143.

Staff writers Lindy Oller and Cynthia Williford contributed to this report.