On Monday, November 9, 2026, the Dade County Sheriff’s Office responded to a serious threat involving an individual who contacted Dade County 911 Dispatch and stated their intention to commit a mass shooting at the Dade County Public Library.
Deputies immediately responded to the area and established a significant law enforcement presence in and around the town square. During the incident, the individual continued communicating with dispatchers, claiming to be watching the movements of responding officers.
Out of an abundance of caution, and despite there being no direct threat made toward any school, all Dade County Schools were immediately placed on lockdown. Businesses in the vicinity of the town square were also asked to secure their buildings while deputies conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area.
Deputies searched numerous businesses, churches, and other buildings throughout the area in an effort to locate the individual responsible for the threats. Despite an extensive search, no armed individual was located.
Through the coordinated efforts of Dade County 911 Dispatch and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), investigators were able to determine that the individual was using an internet-based telephone service to communicate the threats.
As an additional precaution, Sheriff Cross directed extra deputies to every Dade County school and instructed them to remain on campus until all students had been safely dismissed for the day.
The Dade County Sheriff’s Office takes every threat of violence seriously, regardless of whether that threat is ultimately determined to be credible. Threats of this nature create unnecessary fear, disrupt our schools and businesses, and place a significant strain on emergency services and law enforcement resources.
The Sheriff’s Office will continue working with its law enforcement partners to identify the individual responsible and pursue all applicable criminal charges.
“The safety of our community, our schools, and every citizen of Dade County will always be our highest priority. We will never take a threat of this magnitude lightly. Our deputies responded immediately, and we took every precaution necessary to protect the public. We intend to do everything within our authority to identify the person responsible and hold them accountable.” -Sheriff Ray Cross
They would also like to thank Dade County 911, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Lookout Mountain DTF, Trenton Police Department, Georgia DPS, Dade County Schools, local businesses, and the community for their cooperation and assistance throughout this incident.
