ATKINSON COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) —[Update 8/24/26 @5:45 p.m.] Sheriff David Moore released the following statement regarding the person responsible for the threats towards Atkinson County students on TikTok.

“We have identified the person responsible for the threats towards Atkinson County students on TikTok. We also are in possession of the phone used to create it.We cannot reveal the identity of the TikTok creator as it is a very young juvenile. We also believe there is no credible threat of the scenario being carried out.”

[Original article] Fear and uncertainty spread across Atkinson County after a bomb threat forced schools to dismiss early Friday. Three days later, Sheriff David Moore said investigators know who made the call—and the suspected caller was already behind bars.

The investigation comes amid heightened concerns about school safety after three bomb threats were reported at schools in or near WALB’s South Georgia coverage area within a week.

Moore announced Monday, Aug. 24, that investigators recovered the phone used to call in the bomb threat at Atkinson County High School. He said investigators determined that the call was made by an inmate who was already in the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC).

The sheriff said investigators know the inmate’s identity, but the name cannot be released yet because the investigation remains active.

“There is a lot we know. There is a lot we are not allowed to say at this moment,” Moore said. “I have to stop there. We are not able to name the name right now even though we know it.”

Friday, Aug. 21: Bomb threat forces early dismissal

The investigation began Friday when a bomb threat was called in involving Atkinson County High School.

The threat prompted the school district to dismiss students early as a precaution while law enforcement responded.

Bomb-detection K-9 teams were brought in to search the campus. Authorities later said the threat was cleared, but the investigation into who made the call continued.

The incident left families looking for answers and wondering whether it was safe for students to return to the classroom.

Saturday, Aug. 22: Social media posts bring more concerns

Concerns continued into the weekend after a TikTok video and comments began circulating on social media.

The Atkinson County School System said local law enforcement and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) had an active lead and a person of interest connected to Friday’s bomb threat.

Authorities also began working to identify the person responsible for the TikTok video and comments.

As students prepared to return to class, Moore said deputies would have an increased presence around Atkinson County schools.

Monday, Aug. 24: Sheriff says suspected caller identified

Monday brought the biggest development in the investigation.

Moore said investigators recovered the phone used to make the bomb threat and determined an inmate in GDC custody made the call.

The sheriff acknowledged the fear the threat and subsequent social media activity have created for families.

“We understand there is widespread fear and concern over sending your kids to school or not,” Moore added. “SRO, ATCO SO, Pearson PD, Willacoochee PD, DNR and GDC K-9 are on campus.”

While Moore says investigators know more than they can currently make public, he said releasing certain details—including the inmate’s name—could compromise the case.

Superintendent describes response timeline

Atkinson County Schools Superintendent Melissa Wilbanks said a debriefing was held at 1 p.m. following the threat.

Wilbanks said all principals were in place the morning after the threat, and extra deputies were assigned to campuses. She said safety plans and updates were reviewed to determine what worked well and what additions could be made.

According to Wilbanks, staff and students were out of Atkinson County High School and Middle School within 10 minutes of the threat being called in. Within one hour, every student had been picked up or was on a bus headed home. Within two hours, every student had been delivered home safely.

Wilbanks said a protocol safety plan chart was in place, was used successfully and is reviewed often. She said the call came into the front office shared by the middle school and high school.

Wilbanks asked that all schools make sure their communication platforms have up-to-date contact information, saying it can be vital to a child’s safety.

She said Atkinson County came together as a community during the incident and that, despite the situation, every student got home safely.

State representative calls for action

State Rep. James Burchett released a statement on the threat and investigation.

“The safety of our children and the men and women who work in our schools has to come first,” Burchett said. “I appreciate Superintendent Wilbanks, Sheriff Moore, our school personnel and law enforcement for taking this threat seriously and acting quickly to protect our students.”

“The State of Georgia needs to make every resource available to Atkinson County not only to investigate and prosecute those responsible, but also to ensure our schools have the personnel, technology, training and security resources necessary to respond to threats like this,” Burchett added.

“We also need to recognize the enormous disruption these threats cause. Parents have to leave work, children lose instructional time and law enforcement resources are pulled away from the community,” Burchett said. “A bomb threat against a school is not a prank, regardless of where it originates, and there must be serious consequences for anyone who intentionally creates fear and disrupts a school.”

Burchett said he will work with state agencies and local officials to determine whether additional resources or changes in state law could help prevent future incidents and strengthen the response.

“Our parents should be able to send their children to school knowing we are doing everything reasonably possible to keep them safe,” Burchett said.

There is a briefing Monday with law enforcement, stakeholders and school officials to discuss safety plans further.

WALB will continue following the investigation and provide updates as additional information is released.

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