The FBI Houston Division launched #ThinkBeforeYouPost, a public awareness campaign to educate the public about the consequences of making hoax threats to schools and other public places.
There's a tendency for an increase in school threats made around the country after deadly school shootings.
FBI Houston’s Christina Garza said last year they investigated about 124 threats to area schools.
“Just this year, we’ve investigated over 300 threats against schools. We’re confident in saying that at least 90 percent of the threats are hoax,” said Garza.
However every single one must be investigated.
#ThinkBeforeYouPost is to help people realize that making a fake threat is a federal crime, law enforcement will find you and it might haunt you the rest of your life.
Houston ISD Police Chief Paul Cardova said parents need to know that terroristic threats are a fast end to a student's adult career before it even starts.
“It is not a joke to say that you’re going to bring a gun to school and shoot up the school. It is not a joke to say that you have a bomb. It is not a joke to post a picture of a gun, or any weapon, online and say, ‘don’t come to school tomorrow if you know what’s good for you’,” said Cordova.
He said the age of accountability is 10 years old.
The Houston region #ThinkBeforeYouPost campaign will include digital billboard space donated by Clear Channel Outdoor. Drivers can see the billboards along major highways in the greater Houston area.
Public assistance is crucial to efforts to curb these hoax threats. If there is any reason to believe the safety of others is at risk, the FBI asks that the public immediately contact their local police department by calling 9-1-1, or contact the FBI Houston Field Office at 713-693-5000. Hoax threats are not a joke, so think before you post.