Clay County 11-year-old arrested for making school threats

Middleburg, Fla. — Clay County sheriff’s deputies arrested an 11-year-old boy Wednesday accusing him of making threats to conduct a mass shooting at Swimming Pen Elementary School.

The fifth-grader “sent multiple texts to another student indicating a desire to bring a handgun to school in his backpack to conduct a mass shooting,” a Clay County Sheriff’s Office news release states. “His texts were descriptive in his tactics and intent to go to classroom to classroom shooting others, and then himself, if confronted by law enforcement to avoid being taken into custody.”

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The child asked the other student to delete the chat where the statements were made, the news release states. The child admitted to authorities that he did send the messages, but said he didn’t mean it. He told deputies he made the statements because he was angry at other students.

“We take every single tip received very seriously and a thorough investigation is conducted,” Sheriff Michelle Cook stated in the news release. “I have zero tolerance for school threats. Parents, please speak with your children about the consequences of making such statements.

“I want to thank those who came forward with this information and encourage anyone who sees or hears anything suspicious to report it immediately,” Cook said.

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