press release by Carroll County Sheriff’s Office

Carroll County, GA — On November 17, 2025, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Carroll County Schools, acted swiftly to identify and arrest the individual responsible for an online threat made against Mt. Zion High School after school hours.
The initial report was made to Carroll County 911’s administrative line by a juvenile caller claiming to be in Grand Rapids, Colorado. The caller provided a name and a phone number that did not match the caller ID, prompting immediate concern and action. School Resource Officer Lt. JP Garmon was notified, and the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) initiated a full investigation.
Investigators rapidly secured emergent records for both phone numbers. One number was determined to be a TextNow account, leading investigators to an IP address and a corresponding location in Fruita, Colorado. Law enforcement partners in Fruita and Grand Rapids, Colorado, were contacted to assist with locating the juvenile caller and gathering additional information.
Grand Rapids Police quickly identified and made contact with the juvenile, who reported that during a group chat with a juvenile female in Carroll County and an unidentified male participant, the unidentified male made violent threats, stating he intended to “hurt some people and murder other people at Mt. Zion High School.”
CID investigators, working alongside members of the ACE Unit, obtained information about the female juvenile involved and responded to her residence. She provided the name of the individual responsible for the threats: 18-year-old Leland Sprewell of Bowdon. Investigators were able to identify Sprewell’s address, respond to his location, and make contact. Sprewell admitted the Instagram username used to issue the threats belonged to him. He was taken into custody and charged with Terroristic Threats (Felony) and transported to the Carroll County Jail.
This incident underscores the strong relationship between Carroll County Schools and the School Resource Officers assigned to protect them. “We take every threat seriously, and we act immediately,” said Sheriff Terry Langley. “The quick coordination between our SROs, 911, investigators, ACE Unit, and our law enforcement partners in Colorado ensured that this threat was fully investigated and the responsible individual was held accountable.”
The investigation has revealed this to be an isolated incident. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting all schools in Carroll County and will continue to pursue every threat with urgency and diligence.