Soddy Daisy Middle School Students are greeted with police Thursday morning.
A so called "hit list" had 6th grader Ariel Daughtery and many others fearing for their lives.
They were just like, what's gonna happen today? Am I gonna die?" Ariel said.
Posts appeared Wednesday night, on an unknown Instagram account threatening to take a certain students life and that there will be new victims.
It even posts pictures of several students.
Ariel's mother Tamara said she had no idea this was going on when she took her daughter to school.
"I'm hoping and praying this kid was just acting out on frustration or something and this wasn't gonna be real, but the small thought that it could be real, why did they go to school this morning if they already knew about it," said Tamara.
Ariel says teachers were telling them not to take it seriously, but it only made her panic more.
"It just made me think, none of these people really care what's gonna happen today, if people die or not," said Ariel.
Officials with the department did say they seized computers and cell phones this morning and have obtained an I.P. address for the account, but would no't say if anyone had been taken in.
"I don't think my child's going to school tomorrow but I don't know what good that does either because what happens Monday, what happens Tuesday?" Tamara said.
Soddy Daisy Police Chief Phil Hamrick issued this public statement:
"Recently several students at Soddy-Daisy Middle School were the target of someone making alarming comments using the Instagram service. The Police Department began an investigation on the evening of March 6th and has been working with several law enforcement agencies, Instagram, and internet service providers to identify any persons possibly involved. The Soddy-Daisy Police Department on March 7th in the early morning hours executed a search warrant and seized computers and cellular phones which may be related to this incident. The Items seized as evidence will be examined to see if they were used to make the comments and the investigation is ongoing.
Since December 14, 2012 Soddy-Daisy Police Department has assigned Officers to the Schools within our City every day. These assignments are intended to be kept in place through the end of the school year. The Soddy-Daisy Police Department takes any threat made against a school or student seriously and will take extra security measures to reassure students, parents, and faculty. This morning we had an increased presence on the Soddy-Daisy Middle School campus, not because it was felt that there was an imminent threat but for the peace of mind of the students and parents."
Soddy Daisy Middle School Principal Blake Freeman sent this statement:
"A student made threats over the social media site, Instagram. The school immediately contacted the Soddy Daisy Police Department. They are handling the investigation. The issue occurred off campus.
The school will be open tomorrow as it was today. Safety is the top priority of Soddy Daisy Middle School. We will continue our high level of expectation for student behavior, which is exhibited every day by the wonderful students at SDMS."
