13-Year-Old Arrested in Florida Over Gun Threat on Social Media

A 13-year-old boy in Florida has been taken into custody following reports that he sent a photo of a gun along with a death threat via social media. This was confirmed by local authorities on Thursday.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office began investigating on July 7 after the victim’s mother contacted 911, concerned about the threat made against her child.

“It’s essential for parents to be aware of their children’s online activities and who they’re interacting with,” said authorities.

The target of the threat, also 13 years old, had received several Instagram messages from the suspect that day. One message included a picture of the boy holding a handgun, accompanied by a note stating, “8pm, we’re there, we got it.” According to law enforcement, this message indicated that the suspect knew the victim’s location and planned to confront her later that night.

When questioned, the victim informed police that the suspect showed up at her home at 8 p.m. with intentions to harm her.

The suspect claimed to police that he and the victim were friends but had gotten into a disagreement. He also mentioned that he sent her a message that day implying a fight was imminent.

Ultimately, the authorities apprehended the suspect and transported him to the Perry Hall Sheriff Detention Center and then to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

“Threats should not be taken lightly, and we treat every threat seriously. This juvenile had already planned to engage in violence, making it clear that a confrontation was in his intentions,” Sheriff Rick Staley stated. He urged parents to be proactive in supervising their children’s online interactions and to teach them appropriate conflict resolution skills.

Related Incidents

• A 12-year-old girl was charged in May for threatening to shoot at an elementary school and directed threats at a teacher.
• An 11-year-old boy faced charges in October after a previous death threat incident in March.
• In March, a 10-year-old was arrested for threatening to bring a gun to an elementary school and left a kill list in his classroom.
• A 12-year-old girl was arrested in February for posting a detailed manifesto online about a mass shooting due to bullying.
• In February, two 15-year-old boys were arrested for alleged threats to shoot up a high school.
• In late October, another 11-year-old girl was arrested for writing a “kill list” on her desk. Shortly thereafter, another boy from the same district was arrested for a similar offense.
• Also in October, a sheriff’s office faced criticism for sharing the mugshot of a 9-year-old arrested for carrying a knife at school.
• Recently, a 10-year-old boy was taken into custody for aggravated assault after threatening another student with a pocket knife.