13-year-old student threatens to shoot up Florida school, officials say

Boy arrested on 2 counts of written threat to kill or injure

Lake Asbury Junior High School (Clay County District Schools photo)

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – A 13-year-old student is accused of threatening to “shoot up" a north Florida junior high school, sheriff's officials said.

Investigators learned of the threat on Tuesday afternoon and the student was removed from classes sat Lake Asbury Junior High School in Green Cove Springs, said Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook.

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The student, who lives in Orange Park, was arrested later Tuesday on two counts of written threat to kill or injure, an arrest report said.

“The suspect was reported to have a Colt rifle in his hands during a chat and threatened to commit a shooting at Lake Asbury,” Cook said.

She said the student admitted to making the threat.

Clay County school district Superintendent David Broskie said another student told a teacher, who notified an officer on campus.

“This is a good example of what went right,” Broskie said.

The student made the threat on Houseparty, a social networking app that allows people to video chat, The Florida Times-Union reported.

The sheriff said a deputy and the school officer found the boy, and learned the weapon and ammunition had been taken from his grandfather’s safe.

The student has been suspended from the school. He was taken to Jacksonville’s juvenile detention center, officials said.

Broskie said the student will face school district discipline “to the fullest extent” including possible expulsion.


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