An 18-year-old is in deep trouble, facing serious felony charges like terrorism and attempted murder. The charges came after a grand jury accused him of issuing threats against Athens High School resource officers online.
Back in June, even before he turned 18, Carson Butler was taken into custody by the Athens police for making these threats. The grand jury’s findings suggest that Butler was involved with various online extremist groups, which experts claim often incite violence and specifically target impressionable young people.
Researcher Luke Baumgartner, who works with the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, emphasizes that understanding what drives these groups is key to stopping recruitment efforts. “The common thread connecting these groups is their glorification of violence, often for its own sake,” Baumgartner explained. He added that they often target young individuals seen as vulnerable.
Baumgartner mentioned that these groups typically go after students like Butler because minors can’t act as informants for authorities, making them ideal candidates for manipulation. They train members to ignore societal norms surrounding serious issues like violence, murder, and even pedophilia.
Meanwhile, parents are frustrated by a lack of timely communication from school officials. One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, mentioned they found out about the threats through social media rather than direct updates from the school. “I want to know when things are happening, not find out months later,“ they expressed.
Athens City Schools assured the community that they were quickly informed by law enforcement about the situation and confirmed there was no ongoing threat. However, they couldn’t share too much information since multiple agencies are involved in the ongoing investigation.
The concerned parent did share their relief that the situation was handled smoothly by school officials and law enforcement, but they also called for more transparency in communication moving forward.
Butler was originally set to appear in court on Friday, but now that has been pushed to the morning of December 10.
For parents looking for resources on keeping their kids safe online and learning about extremism, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Eradicate Hate Global Summit offer valuable information.
