(WXYZ) — This morning, dozens of schools in metro Detroit are reopening after they shut down to address a series of violent threats made on social media.
Officials are calling the threats copycat attempts following the mass shooting in Oxford that left four students dead.
At least nine teens at different schools in the area were arrested in connection to the threats, proving just how seriously police are taking this.
In Royal Oak, students won't return until Tuesday as staff members are taking Monday to brush up on safety protocols while police continue to investigate the long list of threats made in the area.
"Just think about the fact that if you make a school threat, you could destroy your whole career," former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said. "What college is going to want to admit you if you have made a threat like this?"
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said any wannabe copycats out there will be held accountable.
"If you're making threats, we're going to find you," he said.
Schneider said despite what kids may think, online posts leave a virtual trail and police can track them back to you.
"They think if they do something on Snapchat then it disappears and they can't get caught. That's really not true," he said.
Over the weekend, police say a student who attends Center Line schools was arrested for creating an Instagram account and posting threats. The crime could carry a 20-year prison sentence.
Schneider said because of the Oxford shooting, these crimes are going to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and if you get caught, police will make an example out of you.
"When students make these threats and they see what happens when other people do them, they're less likely to commit an act like that," Schneider said.
Most schools will be back open Monday or Tuesday, but some, like Lake Orion, are opting to go virtual for the rest of the week.
