Three Arrested in Alleged Georgia High School Shooting Plot as Police Say FBI Flagged Threatening Social Media Posts and Investigators Seized Weapons

CANTON, GA — Three people have been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to carry out a shooting at a Georgia high school, according to Canton police. Investigators say the case began after the FBI identified threatening social media posts and alerted Cherokee County School District Police, who then contacted Canton authorities on Oct. 19.

Detectives opened an investigation and later made arrests on Oct. 20 and Oct. 23. Police say the case involved conspiracy to commit murder charges and, for one juvenile, an additional charge tied to disrupting the operation of public schools. Authorities have also said there is no known ongoing threat to the school or to other Cherokee County schools.

How the investigation started after threatening posts surfaced online

Canton police said the response began when school district police were notified by the FBI about threatening content on social media. That warning led school officials to reach out to law enforcement locally, setting off a fast-moving investigation that unfolded over several days.

According to police, Cherokee County School District Police made contact with the Canton Police Department on Oct. 19. Detectives then began gathering information about the alleged plot and the people involved.

Officials did not identify the school named in the allegation, but they said the suspected threat involved a Georgia high school and prompted coordination between federal, school district, and city police agencies. The timeline shows that investigators moved from the first alert to arrests within days.

Juvenile arrest came first, followed by two more suspects

Police said a juvenile, whose name has not been released, was arrested on Oct. 20. The juvenile was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and with disruption or interference with the operation of public schools, according to authorities.

Detectives then identified two more suspects on Oct. 22. After warrants were issued, both were arrested the next day, police said.

One of the later arrests was Shane Keith Taylor, 17, of Metter, Georgia. He was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. The other was Michael Brandon Terry, 21, of Chatsworth, California, who was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and was awaiting transport to the detention center.

Police say guns, ammunition and devices were taken as evidence

Investigators collected guns, ammunition and electronic devices as evidence as part of the case, Canton police said. Authorities did not publicly describe what was found on the devices or how they believe the suspects may have communicated.

The seizure of weapons and digital evidence suggests detectives were trying to piece together both the alleged planning and the social media activity that drew attention from the FBI. Police did not say whether the weapons were linked directly to any specific school or how far along the alleged plan may have been.

For now, officials say the evidence has been gathered and the arrests made, but they have not released additional details about the alleged motive or the exact target of the threats.

Officials say there is no known ongoing threat to students or staff

After the arrests, police said they do not believe there is an active danger to the high school or to any other school in Cherokee County. That reassurance came as families and staff were likely still trying to understand how close the threat may have been to school operations.

Canton Police Chief Marty Ferrell praised the rapid response of the agencies involved, saying student and staff safety remains the department’s top priority. He also thanked law enforcement partners and detectives for identifying and arresting the suspects quickly.

School leaders echoed that message. In a video statement, Superintendent Dr. Mary Elizabeth Davis said she understood the responsibility to keep schools safe and secure for students and staff every day.

What the charges mean as the case moves forward

The arrests leave the case in the hands of the courts, with the most serious allegations centered on conspiracy to commit murder. Police did not announce any additional suspects, and they have not said whether the juvenile case will proceed differently because of age.

At this stage, the public information focuses on the arrests, the evidence collected, and the reassurance that no continuing threat is known. The investigation began with a federal warning and developed quickly into criminal charges against three people from different places, including Georgia and California.

Authorities have not said when the defendants are expected in court or whether more charges may follow. For now, the case stands as a high-stakes school safety investigation that moved from online threats to arrests in a matter of days.