ANDERSON CO., Ky. (WHAS11) — A man in Lawrenceburg, Ky. was arrested Thursday afternoon, Oct. 18, after police said he made threats to Anderson County and Shelby County Public Schools.
Dylan Jarrell, 20, is charged with two counts of 2nd-degree terroristic threatening and one count of harassing communications.
Police started looking into Jarrell after a complaint from a woman in New Jersey who said he was harassing her on social media.
On Thursday, police caught Jarrell as he was leaving his driveway. According to the police report, he admitted to sending the messages. During that time, it was revealed that Jarrell had been questioned before in May by the Federal Bureau of Investigation over threats to a school in Tennessee.
He allowed officers to take his phone and examine it in an off-site location. During that investigation, officers discovered an internet search for ‘how to conduct a school shooting.’
“There's no doubt in my mind that as a result of this investigation we saved lives,” said KSP Commissioner Rick Sanders during a press conference on Friday.
During a search, police said evidence was found that confirmed the threat was "valid and imminent." Evidence includes a firearm, more than two hundred rounds of ammunition, a Kevlar vest, a 100-round high capacity magazine, and a detailed plan of attack.
“This young man had it in his mind to go to schools and create havoc. He had the tools necessary, the intent necessary and the only thing that stood between him and evil, between him and school doing evil is law enforcement,” said Sanders.
Police confirmed that Jarrell's threat was directly connected to the closings in Anderson and Shelby County on Friday.
It's currently fall break for Shelby County students, but there were still activities happening on some of the campuses. Assistant Superintendent Kerry Whitehouse told WHAS11 News the district suspended those activities until it was safe.
“It's concerning that there was a threat on our community and our loved ones, to everyone associated with Shelby County Public Schools. the great news, one more time is KSP engaged immediately and their actions potentially helped save lives here,” Whitehouse said.
WHAS11 News was told that at one point, the suspect was enrolled with Shelby County Public Schools, though he left before graduating from Shelby County High.
Police are still looking for a motive as the investigation continues.