A Father Reports His 10-Year-Old Son After Alleged Threat to Shoot Up a Florida School
A father in Florida reported his 10-year-old son to the authorities after the boy allegedly made a threatening comment about a school shooting on Snapchat, according to police reports released on Friday.
The incident took place in Wakulla County, roughly 25 miles south of Tallahassee. While a student informed the authorities about the threat, the boy’s father reported him on Thursday, as stated by the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office.
Since the beginning of the year, over 20 school shootings have occurred across the nation. Notably, a tragic shooting in Georgia left two students and two teachers dead, and nine others were injured on September 4.
Threat Included Message About It Being Students’ ‘Last Day’
On Wednesday, after school hours, the sheriff’s office launched an investigation. Around 4 p.m., staff from Wakulla High School notified a resource officer about a concerning social media post regarding the school.
A student informed the school personnel that an individual on Snapchat had stated their intention to carry out a shooting at the school.
“It’s your last day,” was part of the threatening message.
The sheriff’s office reported that investigators worked through Wednesday night and into Thursday morning to locate the individual behind the threat. They eventually arrested a 10-year-old boy from Woodville.
Authorities stated they “contacted the individual who made the online threat at his home in Leon County and conducted an interview.”
The sheriff’s office also reassured Wakulla County school officials early Thursday that there was no threat to Wakulla High School or any other schools in the area.
Additionally, on Thursday, an arrest warrant was issued for the 10-year-old, charging him with making a written or electronic threat to kill, harm others, or to commit mass violence or terrorism.
The investigation involved the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) along with the agency’s Cyber Crime Unit, Counter Terrorism Unit, and Organized Crime Unit.
The sheriff’s office expressed gratitude for FDLE’s timely and extensive support during the investigation.
Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, Amaris Encinas
Saleen Martin is a reporter on YSL News’s NOW team, hailing from Norfolk, Virginia. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin
