FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — The Flagler County Sheriff's Office arrested a student accused of making threats to other students.
On Tuesday, school resource deputies were told of a student who wanted "shoot up" a group of students following a fight over a lunch table, FCSO said.
When deputies talked to a witness, she said she overheard a male student mention a gun, the sheriff's office reported. She said she did not hear anything specific, however.
Another witness said he and other students put their belongings on a picnic table outside to get their lunches. When they returned, another group of students was sitting at the table, the sheriff's office said.
An argument broke out over the table and the witness told investigators one of the students mentioned "something about a gun." A third student interviewed corroborated that story.
The third witness also remembered the male student saying he was going to "shoot them up" and gave them an address to arrive, according to the FCSO.
A fourth witness told investigators when the first group of students asked the second group of students to leave the table, the second group of students began cursing, with one mentioned "shooting" and gave his address.
The fourth witness also told deputies she helped to de-escalate the situation by asking her group of friends to leave.
The students who talked to investigators took the threat to the school administration, identifying the male student who allegedly made the threat. When deputies questioned the student, he admitted there was an argument and did give his address for people to meet him after school to fight, the sheriff's office reported. However, he said he did not remember making any mention of a gun or threatening to shoot anyone.
The deputies arrested the student for written threats to kill and took him to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. He was later handed over to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
“This kind of behavior is unacceptable and we will investigate every threat in this county,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Words have consequences and behavior like this is not acceptable, especially in our schools."
Sheriff Staly urged parents to talk to them not only about the consequences that come with making threats but also the importance to de-escalating arguments.
