FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A student at Matanzas High School has been arrested after authorities said he wrote and recorded a song that contained threatening messages towards a school employee.
A Flagler County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Deputy was working at Matanzas High School Tuesday when he received reports of a song circulating online about an administer at the school.
During the investigation, FCSO found that the song was recorded by 18-year-old Joseph Washington.
The student reportedly wrote the song in retaliation for being suspended for using offensive language while on campus.
In the lyrics of the song, deputies said Washington threatens physical harm to a faculty member and states that he was suspended from school for "a dress code violation and using vulgar language towards the school administrator."
In the song Washington says he will “gladly do it again.”
When deputies interviewed Washington he admitted to writing and recording the song.
The 18-year-old further stated that he “knew the consequences of his actions could be that he was arrested and charged with a criminal offense." He added that he did not intend to carry out any of the threats and that it was all just a “fantasy," FCSO said.
Washington was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on one charge of sending written threats to kill.
He has since been released by the judge pending trial.
“To anyone that still thinks saying ‘I was just kidding around or it’s a fantasy’ is going to get them out of being arrested when they threaten someone’s life – let this be a wake-up call,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “We have a zero tolerance policy and we do not take threats like these lightly, especially when it comes to our schools. If you make threatening statements online, in writing and or even if veiled in songs, you will be arrested.”
