ICYMI: 12-Year-Old Florida Boy Arrested for Middle School Threat To ‘Shoot This School Up!’
A 12-year-old’s Snapchat threat to “shoot this school up” has led to his arrest, as cop urge parents to rein in social media “keyboard courage.” 🌐 #News #BrevardCountyFL #Florida #Crime
BREVARD COUNTY, FL – In Florida, a 12-year-old boy’s online message has led to serious legal consequences after he allegedly threatened to “shoot this school up” in a Snapchat post aimed at his middle school. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, in a video posted to Facebook, urged families to understand the severe repercussions of any threat against schools, whether intended as a joke or not.
The case, swiftly acted on by the FBI and local authorities, has stirred discussion around the responsibility parents and communities share in preventing similar incidents.
FBI Alert Leads to Swift Action on School Threat
The FBI alerted the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office to the post, targeting Jefferson Middle School in Merritt Island. Deputies began investigating that evening, eventually locating the boy, who had made the alleged threat during lunch. When questioned, he reportedly told agents he was “joking.”
“There’s nothing funny. There’s nothing about saying you’re gonna shoot up a school, or blow up a school, or harm a school or anybody on that campus that’s funny,” Sheriff Ivey said in his Facebook video message.
“We are taking every threat seriously. It doesn’t matter if you have immediate access to a weapon, immediate access to do what you threaten to do, or you’re just joking trying to look cool in front of your buddies. We are going to find you, and we are going to lock you up, that is what’s going to happen.”
Sheriff’s Message to Parents
In a move rarely seen in juvenile cases, Ivey posted an image of the boy in custody, as well as his name, to deter others from similar actions. He described the decision to publicly display the young suspect’s image as part of an effort to enforce accountability and make the consequences of school threats visible.
“Folks, this has got to stop,” Ivey emphasized. His message also urged parents to become more actively involved, saying, “Be the chief law enforcement officer in your child’s life.” He advised parents to cut down their children’s social media time and encourage outdoor play or participation in the arts, to avoid what he called the pitfalls of “keyboard courage.”
“Get them off of this crap, because what happens, they get on there and they get keyboard courage or they get dared by one of their friends to do something, and their friend’s not the one going to jail, they are,” he continued.
No Room for Jokes When It Comes to School Safety
The sheriff’s strong stance highlights a growing concern in communities across the nation: when it comes to school safety, there are no second chances.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, along with other Florida jurisdictions, is committed to treating all threats seriously, no matter the age of the suspect or their intent. As schools and law enforcement work together to combat these risks, the message remains clear—no threat will be ignored.
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Way to go Sheriff Ivey.. time to put a stop to this nonsense
Hey Pam! Well said, we need more Sheriffs like this! Have a GREAT rest of the week! 🙂 – Jack and Kitty