HARRISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX News) — School districts and law enforcement agencies across Kentucky responded Monday to social media threats that officials say appear to be linked to a viral online trend involving "The Cat in the Hat."
In Allen County, a local crime task force identified a juvenile accused of posting threatening TikTok messages featuring the "Cat in the Hat" character. Louisville Metro Police also said it was investigating similar social media threats.
Authorities in Harrison County said they are dealing with a comparable situation and are urging students and parents to report concerning posts.
"We have done everything we can to follow up. Any tips we got from other students, we are interviewing those kids too," Harrison County Schools Police Chief David Jones said.
Jones said school police must treat every threat as credible until proven otherwise.
"With the technology that's out there with AI, they can do anything," Jones said.
Local and state law enforcement agencies increased their presence at schools Monday as a precaution.
Cynthiana Assistant Police Chief Robert Peak said Kentucky law provides serious penalties for people who make false threats that trigger an emergency response.
Peak said incidents like the ones circulating online would likely fall under Kentucky's swatting law, which was enacted in 2022. Swatting involves making false reports that cause alarm and prompt law enforcement or emergency responders to act.
"It's becoming more of a regular occurrence. It takes away a lot of resources that could be devoted to something more important, but then what's more important than parents having that feeling of safety that they can send their kids to school? Nothing outweighs that," Peak said.
According to Peak, a swatting offense can be charged as a Class D felony, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to five years.
Authorities continue investigating the threats and have not released additional information about potential suspects outside of the Allen County case. Officials are encouraging anyone with information about threatening social media posts to contact law enforcement immediately.
Ellen Chapman is committed to covering stories in your community that matter to you. If you have an idea, reach out to her at ellen.chapman@wlex.tv
