VOLUSA COUNTY, Fla. — Typically a teen who allegedly breaks the law does not have their name or image used unless they are charged as an adult.
But in Volusia County, Florida, the sheriff is changing that long-standing guideline.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood has posted either the image or video of several teens, who are all under the age of 18, online, using their names, after he said the teens made threats on social media apps such as Snapchat, WFTV reported.
The teens, who we are not identifying, said the threats were “jokes.”
One of the posts said, according to Chitwood, “I”m going to shoot up the school’ while the other student allegedly replied “Same.” The alleged statements were made against Taylor High School in Pierson, Florida, and both of the teens were booked into the county’s juvenile detention center and face a felony each.
“I will not have 2% of the population of the students disrupt what’s going on with the other 98% of kids who are doing the right thing and enjoy school life,” Chitwood said.
They were not the only teens under 18 Chitwood’s office identified.
An 11-year-old’s mug shot was released this week after the student had threatened a mass shooting at a middle school, USA Today reported. The pre-teen was also charged with a felony. He also said the alleged threat was a joke, but the department said the student had a list of names and targets and had amassed a “large amount” of airsoft rifles, pistols, fake ammunition, knives, swords and other weapons.
Chitwood said that he had made the decision to make their identities public after local officials had at least 54 threat tips made to Fortify Florida, an app where people can report suspicious activity to law enforcement and school officials. All of the tips were false threats but they still had to investigate them all at a cost of $21,000, USA Today reported.
“I can and will release the names and photos of juveniles who are committing these felonies, threatening our students, disrupting our schools, and consuming law enforcement resources,” Chitwood posted on Facebook.
“Since parents, you don’t want to raise your kids, I’m going to start raising them,” Chitwood said last week. “Every time we make an arrest, your kid’s photo is going to be put out there. And if I could do it, I’m going to perp walk your kid so that everybody can see what your kid’s up to.”
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