‘Plenty of space in the prisons’: Horry Co. top prosecutor has tough words in wake of school threats
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — The Grand Strand’s top prosecutor on Monday weighed in with tough words for anyone else involved in a string of threats that have struck Carolina Forest High School over the past week.
“There is a tendency after these to have copycats. People that look back and say, ‘they did it, sounds pretty cool,’ and that’s what happened last week,” 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson in his weekly YouTube appearance. “I hope that it has ended now but if it ain’t, there’s plenty of space in the prisons.”
The school on Monday received its sixth threat in less than a week. Horry County police are working with staff to check the building, and its gates remained closed until authorities clear the scene.
Two students were charged on Friday in connection with one of the threats, and Richardson said the consequences will be severe.
“There’s going to be a few kids that are going to pay a very tough price for this, “Richardson said. “Once you’ve spent that kind of money (responding to calls) and scared that many people, there’s going to be a tough price to be paid for it. When I say that, I’m talking about prison time.”
The threat received Thursday night by Horry County police came on the heels of one earlier in the day that authorities said was traced to an internet server in India. That incident began with a bomb threat at the school and was followed by nearly simultaneous calls to Myrtle Beach and Horry County 911 dispatchers about an active shooter in the school.
The server identified in the threat was also linked to another threat on Thursday in the Midwest, police said.
“It is difficult if not impossible to hide where it’s coming from,’ Richardson said. “So parents take five, ten minutes and just encourage your kids to think about, ‘is this worth it?’ And if it’s worth it, the prison system’s for you. But it is going to be a lot more than just a day or two.”
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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
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