Two 13-Year-Olds Arrested for School Threats

In Broward County, Florida, two students were arrested for making separate threats against local schools during the first week of the academic year. A 13-year-old boy was taken into custody on August 10 after posting a threatening message on Snapchat, expressing his intention to commit a mass shooting at Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) officers in Fort Lauderdale. Authorities reported that the boy was upset about a new cellphone policy requiring devices to be off or on airplane mode throughout the school day, including lunch. The Broward Sheriff’s Office tracked the boy to his home in Weston, where he was arrested the same day. Following this incident, another 13-year-old girl allegedly made threats against Cooper City High School on August 15, also via Snapchat. Details regarding her threats have not been disclosed by the sheriff's office. The school year for BCPS commenced on August 12, highlighting the timing of these alarming incidents. Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony emphasized the seriousness of such threats during a news conference, stating, “None of this stuff is a joking or laughing matter.” He warned that authorities would pursue and arrest anyone making threats on social media or elsewhere. Both students now face felony charges for written threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting, along with additional charges for using a communication device to facilitate a felony. Sheriff Tony expressed concern over the frequency of such incidents at the start of each school year, urging parents to guide their children to avoid making mistakes that could lead to felony arrests.