A Gainesville teen was arrested this week on suspicion of threatening to commit a mass shooting at Buchholz High School.
The 15 year old was charged with three felonies: making a written or electronic threat of a mass shooting, making a false report of the use of a firearm in a violent manner and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office received reports March 17 of an Instagram account posting about a potential school shooting March 20.
The post said the following: “DON’T COME TO SCHOOL MONDAY IF YOU AINT TRYNA DIE!! IM FINNA SHOOT THIS B—H A– SCHOOL UP *ONLY BHS KIDS* GAINESVILLE FL.”
Deputies received a phone number from Meta Platforms, Instagram’s owner, and found it belonged to the girl’s father, according to the arrest report.
Law enforcement went to her home and spoke with her and her father, where the girl allegedly said she had a phone and had it all day. She allowed deputies to search her phone after reading her Miranda Rights, where deputies allegedly found the Instagram account logged in on her phone.
She denied any involvement in the hoax, according to a press release.
Deputies arrested the student and took her to the Alachua Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
The post marks the year’s first school shooting threat within ACSO’s jurisdiction, ACSO spokesperson Chris Sims said.
A mass shooting threat is a second-degree felony, punishable by adults with up to 15 years in prison and $10,000, according to Florida Statutes. Juvenile sentencing can oftentimes be different and up to the discretion of the juvenile judge.
Contact Aidan Bush at abush@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @aidandisto.
Aidan Bush is a third-year journalism major and the Spring 2024 Engagement Managing Editor of The Alligator. In his free time, he likes to listen to music and go kayaking.
