Ex-student charged with threatening school by way of song lyrics

Published 11:15 pm Friday, November 22, 2019

A former high school student has been charged with making terroristic threats after south Mississippi officials say he wrote a song with lyrics that threatened to shoot up the school.

Local news outlets report 18-year-old Michael Hartfield II was arrested Thursday after posting the rap song on a music sharing site.

Investigator John Tryner says a school resource officer at Forrest County Agricultural High School alerted deputies to the song on Thursday. After listening to the expletive-laced lyrics, investigators obtained a warrant.

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Tryner says Hartfield mentions shooting up the school, classrooms and faculty in the song. Tryner says the song mentions some school employees by name.

Capt. Phillip Hendricks says it’s the first time county officials have charged someone under the state’s terroristic threat law, which took effect July 1.