Multiple Arrests in Central Florida Following School Threats Surge
Law enforcement in Central Florida arrested four students on Friday in connection with a series of school threats, with two arrests in Orange County and two in Volusia County. The Orlando Police Department responded to Boone High School after school resource officers were informed about a potential firearm on campus. Officers found a 17-year-old female student carrying a loaded 9mm handgun in her backpack. According to reports, the gun was given to her by her boyfriend, a 19-year-old 12th-grade student at the same school. Both were charged with firearm possession on school grounds, and the male student faces additional charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Meanwhile, in Volusia County, two Heritage Middle School students were arrested for allegedly posting threats of a school shooting on TikTok and Instagram. These students face felony charges for making written threats to kill. Sheriff Mike Chitwood emphasized that all threats are taken seriously, and even posts from “anonymous” accounts can be traced, regardless of deletion. The sheriff’s office also warned that Florida law permits the cost of investigating such threats to be charged to the parents of juvenile defendants.
Sheriff Chitwood and Volusia Schools Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin urged parents to take a proactive role in educating students about the severity of making threats. They reminded families that any threat, even as a “joke,” would result in criminal charges. This warning comes amid a similar pattern in Seminole County, where two students were also arrested for school threats earlier in the week.
Read More News:
- Volusia County Students Arrested for School Shooting Threats
- Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood Calls Out Parents Over School Threats
For further details on the ongoing investigations and warnings, you can visit My News 13. This surge in threats has prompted law enforcement to continue urging students to report any suspicious behavior to authorities.