JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — At least 20 students have been arrested around the First Coast since the mass shooting at a Georgia high school in early September, according to local law enforcement agencies.
A 14-year-old gunman entered Apalachee High School on Sept. 4 and took the life of two students and two teachers. The child was arrested and charged with four counts of felony murder.
Since then, schools around Florida have seen an uptick in student arrests, most for issuing threats that shut down school operation until an investigation is completed. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old Interlachen student was arrested after police said he typed "I have a gun" into Google Translate while at school. Most recently, an 11-year-old Baker County middle school student was arrested Friday for telling other students he planned on bringing a bomb to school, according to the sheriff's office.
It's gotten so bad that Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood began publishing "perp walk" videos of children accused of making school threats in addition to their mugshots. He even vowed to publish the faces of the parents. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office and the Bake County Sheriff's Office are also publishing mugshots of the students arrested.
Six Putnam County student arrests were made just this week.
A total of 20 student arrests have been arrested around the First Coast since Sept. 4.
According to First Coast News records, six students have been arrested in Duval County, two in St. Johns, three in Columbia, two in Baker, one in Camden and six in Putnam.
Governor DeSantis also spoke out on the matter at a press conference in Pinellas Park Thursday. The governor commended local police departments and law enforcement agencies for taking the threats "very seriously."
"It is not a joke to threaten violence at a school," DeSantis said. "Some people think that that's funny, some people think that they can get attention from that... In Florida, if you're doing that, you're going to be held accountable."