HODGESVILLE, W.Va. — A deputy will now be stationed at an Upshur County elementary school in response to parental concern.
The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office placed a new, full-time deputy sheriff prevention resource officer at Hodgesville Elementary School near Teter Road.
Earlier this year, police arrested a local man accused of making terrorist threats. Andrew Hitt, 25, apparently shared messages on a Discord server that were flagged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The messages suggested Hitt could “…kill my parents and smear their blood all over the walls” or “…snipe those kids off one by one from my yard” in reference to the nearby Hodgesville Elementary School.
Now, Hitt is home on home confinement and may earn a deferred adjudication agreement that could result in Hitt withdrawing his guilty plea and seeing the case ultimately dismissed. Hitt needs to successfully complete the terms of the agreement for this to occur. One of the conditions of his home confinement was no contact with any child or any school.
“We feel there is an obligation to protect the children and staff in the school,” a release from the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said.
Hitt agreed to the deferred adjudication on Nov. 4.