A 35-year-old man from Roanoke, Stephen-Karl Johnson, was arrested on Thursday after posting online threats to a Snapchat group used by students at Patrick Henry High School. The threats led to the closure of public schools in Roanoke.

Johnson was arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with one count of communicating threats. He had no recent connection with Roanoke City Public Schools. However, investigators traced the threatening messages to a Gmail address used by Johnson.

Following the threats, all Roanoke City Public Schools facilities were closed on February 22, 2024. Despite Johnson's arrest, additional anonymous threats towards the schools were detected after he was in custody, believed to be copycat threats.

United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh emphasized the seriousness of threatening schools and institutions, stating that individuals engaging in such acts would be held accountable under federal law. The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are coordinating efforts to ensure the safety of communities.