Yuma, Arizona (AZFamily) — Threats against schools are on the rise across the country, including in Arizona and small communities like Yuma County.

According to the Yuma Police Department, there have been more than 250 threats against schools this month alone, forcing some schools to close or go on lockdown.

Officials want to send a message to parents and students about the seriousness of reposting threats online or joking about school shootings.

“The anxiety of sending my kids to school is very hard,” said Araceli Gonzalez, a mother of three who lives in San Luis.

The latest threat in San Luis led to the school being closed for two days.

An 11-year-old student was arrested after making threats about Cesar Chavez Elementary School. Police say the student made the threats through TikTok messages.

“The student admitted he did it as a prank, but ultimately admitted he made those comments intentionally,” said San Luis Police Department Inspector Emmanuel Botero.

Botero said the student faces multiple charges of disrupting an educational institution and one felony count.

“We've said before, we've said before this case, we investigate every case thoroughly and we will pursue every charge that applies because this has to stop,” Botero said.

Gonzalez said the threats have made her think twice about sending her children to school.

“Whether it was a prank or not, this prank has scared children and left parents on the streets. It has caused a lot of problems and anxiety in getting their children to school,” she said.

Botero acknowledged the threats were unfortunate and understood why parents were upset.

“They want to know if it's safe. 'Can I take my child to school?' They're contacting the police department. They want answers. They want alternatives. And I don't blame them,” he said.

The arrests come in the wake of a series of threats against schools across the country that began after a shooting at a Georgia school earlier this month left two students and two teachers dead.

“We've had a few cases where students have simply passed along screenshots of threats or incidents, some of which we've confirmed are old incidents,” Botero said.

On Thursday, local police and school officials held a safety forum at Yuma City Hall.

Yuma Police Chief Thomas Garrity led the safety meeting, saying all agencies work together to investigate threats and respond to emergencies.

“We are committed to reviewing each of these threats,” Garrity said.

Officials also stressed the importance of reporting threats rather than reposting them.

“Please share with police, with your school, with responsible adults like your parents or guardians. Just don't share it on social media, don't spread it around, because that's what we were really fighting against were incidents that were being reposted,” said Eric Patten, chief communications officer for the Yuma Union High School District.

With recent threats causing anxiety in the community, school officials reassured parents and students at the forum that safety is their number one priority.

“Our school administrators, school resource officers and security guards are operating with a high level of awareness and vigilance,” said Henry Gonzalez, the district's director of health and safety.

Gonzalez said mental health resources will be provided to students who need extra support.

“Being able to provide services through social workers to address their mental and emotional health is really important,” Gonzalez said.

As school officials address the threats to schools plaguing the nation, Patton said it's important to talk to kids about how to handle these situations.

“It starts at home with conversations from parents to children. Children spend a lot of their time in school so we've been encouraging staff to have constructive conversations about real threats and how to deal with a lockdown or shelter-in-place situation,” Patton said.

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