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North Gaston HS student under $1M bond accused of making threats of mass violence

By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com
By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com

GASTONIA, N.C. — An 18-year-old student at North Gaston High School was charged Tuesday with communicating threats of mass violence.

The investigation into Jacob Brandon Rhyne began Monday after a school resource officer learned about a possible threat.

Investigators said they performed a threat assessment and were led to Rhyne's car on campus. Inside, they said they found a knife and brass knuckles.

[ALSO READ: Student in Gaston County charged with threatening to blow up high school]

“Even colleges, high schools, elementary schools, every parent that has children in the school would be concerned,” said Mike Putnal, who lives near North Gaston High.

Rhyne was arrested for possession of weapons on state property.

He is in the Gaston County Jail under a $1 million bond for the communicating threats of mass violence charge and a $5,000 bond for the possession charge.

In an email to parents, the principal stressed administrators take school safety very seriously.

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Parents told Channel 9's DaShawn Brown they are a little frightened by the news.

"It scares me," parent Jessica Waddell said. "It scares my grandparents and it scares every other parent that has to send their child to school."

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