INDIANAPOLIS — In just the last week, we've seen at least five students taken into custody for making online threats against central Indiana schools.
One of the latest occurred Monday, Sept. 9 and involved two minors in Marion accused of threatening to shoot up schools there.
Monday night, the Marion Police Department said a juvenile was taken into custody in connection with another social media threat of a school shooting, "which also included a threat targeting the Marion Police Department."
Similar threats – and students subsequently arrested – have also been reported in recent days at Warren Central, Perry Meridian and Anderson high schools.
When these threats happen, the schools often go into a lockdown as they investigate. And with the state's new cellphone ban in classrooms, it's not as easy for parents to call in and find out if their student is safe.
One of the latest threats came from an Instagram user with the name "Warrenshooter." The post shows a countdown with emojis illustrating a man holding a gun.
"We have to send our kids to school, and we don't know if they're going to make it home. That's not OK," said Amy Bowlen, who has two kids in the Warren Township School District.
A parent of a student at Perry Meridian High School says she waited 90 minutes for an update after the school went to a "secure status" on Sept. 3, following a threat made online.
And of those arrested in the four investigations, at least five of the suspects have been students.
Perry Township says staff responded within a timely manner with keeping students safe. They also say that in most cases, students have possession of their phones or phones are put away in their classroom in an off position.
"The idea is now the school takes the responsibility for the notification process," said Todd McGhee, the founder of Protecting the Homeland Innovations.
Indiana State Senator Jeff Raatz authored a bill that's been signed into law restricting students' access to their phones while in the classroom. 13News' Chase Houle asked the senator whether or not the law should have guidelines built into it for schools to follow, and he says that's a little more complicated.
"There's an exception in there for emergency cases and honestly, these schools from my perspective and generally in the General Assembly, we try not to get too far in the weeds on how to actually do things because then people start thinking, 'Well, I didn't do it the appropriate way' and now we have problem," Raatz said.
And while Bowlen feeds her youngest kids, she hopes when they go to school, they'll be more worried about their grades than guns.
"I want everyone to be safe and things like this to not happen, but you know, we all pray for the best," Bowlen said.