NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Communities in Middle Tennessee are on edge after racist and threatening text messages were sent to several teenagers.

Parents are questioning how strangers obtained their children’s phone numbers and why they are being targeted.

“I think we need to take this seriously because it’s going around the world,” said Sherika Mallory, whose 15-year-old daughter, Shania, received a disturbing text message on Wednesday.

Mallory expressed regret over the incident. “This makes me more angry than angry,” he said.

The text sent to Shania contained graphic and offensive language.

You can watch Shania and Sherika’s reaction to this message in the player above.

“There were a lot of slavery messages in there about him picking cotton, and they were going to come pick him up in a black truck,” Mallory said. “There was a plantation letter and number.”

Shania is not alone.

Many teens in Middle Tennessee and across the country reported receiving similar messages on social media expressing their frustration.

The messages contain racist content, often include the recipient’s first and last initials, vary in length and come from different phone numbers. I called two of the numbers but they were no longer in service.

MTSU associate professor Sam Zaza, who specializes in information technology, said data breaches, data brokering, unsecured websites or unsecured practices may be to blame for how personal information is accessed.

“Information on the Internet. It is not affiliated with the United States, so people outside the United States can also access this information,” Zaza said.

Although Zaza does not know who sent the messages, he suspects that artificial intelligence may be involved due to sentence structure and spelling errors.

“Maybe this isn’t just stealing your information, it’s also done with the intent to cause harm,” he said.

Mallory is skeptical about the legitimacy of the messages but said he’s keeping his guard up.

“Whoever it is, they need to stop,” he said.

Mallory reported the incident to the Clarksville Police Department, and Metro Nashville Public Schools confirmed that some students also received similar messages. A district spokesperson urged anyone who received this information to share it with investigators working to track down the source.

The FBI is aware of offensive and racist text messages being sent to individuals across the country and is in contact with the Department of Justice and other federal officials regarding the matter.

They encourage the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at [email protected].

She carries on her husband’s legacy to raise money for Alzheimer’s research

I am so inspired by Sheila Gann’s love and resilience for her husband. Anyone who has lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s knows how cruel this disease is; not only for the patient, but also for those who love and care for him. Mike and Sheila certainly had a remarkable love story, and now he’s honoring it in the most beautiful way. Thanks to Forrest Sanders for sharing his story.

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