All Meriwether County schools on lockdown and releasing early after threat

All schools in Meriwether County, located about an hour south of Atlanta, were placed on lockdown Thursday morning following a reported safety threat, Atlanta News First reported. The Meriwether County Sheriff's Office and law enforcement partners are actively investigating the situation, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

The school district announced that all six campuses, including Manchester High School, would release students early at 11:45 a.m. The lockdown is set to be lifted as buses and parents arrive to pick up students, with law enforcement remaining on site during dismissal.

Authorities have not disclosed details about the nature of the threat or identified who made it. The sheriff's office emphasized that student, faculty, and staff safety remains the highest priority and asked the public to avoid spreading unverified information.

It is currently unclear whether regular school operations will resume on Friday. Both news outlets noted that law enforcement increased their presence across the area to secure all campuses during the incident.

This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.