FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla — A 12-year-old Indian Trails Middle School student has been arrested after they allegedly sent alarming messages through Snapchat referencing killing people and shooting up the school, police said.
The student was arrested on charges of sending a written threat to conduct a mass shooting. They are now being held by the Department of Juvenile Justice.
A parent of another student read the messages on their child's phone and contacted the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, FSCO said in a press release.
FSCO went to the student's home. According to FSCO, the student told deputies they had plans to conduct a mass shooting at the school but did not have the "supplies."
The suspect had convinced their parent to purchase them a pair of football gloves and was trying to get a firearm from another student, police said.
“Threats such as these are not a joke and will always be taken seriously,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “We don’t like making these arrests, but we will come knocking on your door if your child makes any threat to harm someone. Thank you to the parent who found messages on their child’s phone and then reported it to us so we could take swift action to prevent an incident from occurring within Flagler County Schools. I also hope this child gets the mental health help that is obviously needed.”
The juvenile was placed under arrest and transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice without incident.
