Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced the arrest of an 11-year-old boy who he said had a kill list and was making threats at two different schools.
Chitwood took to Facebook on Monday to say:
"As promised, we just arrested a Creekside Middle School student who made threats to commit a school shooting at Creekside or Silver Sands Middle School. He had written a list of names and targets. He says it was all a joke."
He said deputies recovered airsoft rifles, pistols and fake ammunition along with knives, swords and other weapons he was showing off to other students in a Facetime call.
Some said they could not tell if the weapons were real or fake. The boy also allegedly created a hit list. Deputies found a paper with several names that also appeared to have stab marks.
"Makes you not want to send your kids to school," said Steven Alkire, Creekside Middle School parent. It really does. And, you know, unfortunately, you can't stay home, can't homeschool them. So, you know, we're sort of forced to send them to school."
The boy will be charged with a felony for making a written threat of a mass shooting, Chitwood said.
When questioned by deputies, he allegedly said it was all a "joke."
"It's pretty scary," Alkire said. "Definitely scary. And with everything that's going on in this country, you know, it really makes you nervous. "
"P.S. I can and will release the names and photos of juveniles who are committing these felonies, threatening our students, disrupting our schools and consuming law enforcement resources," Chitwood said in the post.
WESH decided to not disclose the boy's identity because he is a minor.
The sheriff also reminds parents and students these threats are disrupting schools and consuming law enforcement resources. It's costing the department thousands of dollars to investigate all threats, including those that are fake.
In an email a district spokesperson said:
While VCS does not comment on individual student discipline matters, safety is our top priority, and this situation exemplifies how the security measures in place at our schools, as well as our partnership with law enforcement, ensure the safety of our students and staff. Thank you to the students who spoke up and submitted a tip when they heard something suspicious. We take all reports extremely seriously and work with law enforcement to ensure they are thoroughly investigated. We continue to encourage our students that if they see or hear something, they should inform an adult immediately or submit a tip to Fortify Florida.
Florida plagued with threats of school violence
Schools across Florida have been plagued with threats of violence since school resumed last month. In the last week in Central Florida, a 15-year-old was arrested in Sanford for making threats, and a student was found with an unloaded weapon on campus in Altamonte Springs.
Two students were arrested in Orlando after a loaded gun was found in a backpack.
In a video on Facebook on Sept. 13 , Chitwood said 54 tips had come about shooting threats. All of them were deemed bogus, he said, adding that the hoax cost more than $20,000 in resource response.
"Starting Monday, your little cherub, we're going to start publishing his name, and we're going to start perp walks with them when we take them into custody," Chitwood said. "And we're going to show pictures of you, the parents, because you don't want to raise your kid; Sheriff Chitwood is going to raise him."