A 17-year-old Cookeville High School Student was apprehended Friday (3/27/2026) for allegedly stating “I have a gun and I’m going to shoot up the school.” The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office says SRO Deputies were notified of the threat, immediately located the juvenile, and took him into custody.
During the investigation, the juvenile reportedly admitted that he had said those words but claimed he said them as a joke.
The juvenile was transported to Putnam County Juvenile Detention and has been charged with Threat of Mass Violence (T.C.A. 39-16-517) against Cookeville High School.
At no point was Cookeville High School placed on lockdown.