Florida sheriff posts mug shot of 11-year-old charged in fake school shooting threat

Fed up with a recent string of false school shooting threats, a Florida sheriff followed through with a warning he made last week and released a mug shot Monday of an 11-year-old accused of making threats to commit a mass shooting at a middle school.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced on Friday that minors who threaten school violence will be showcased for "public embarrassment," saying offenders will have their names and arrest photos made public. The announcement came after local authorities received at least 54 school threat tips last week through Fortify Florida, an app that allows people to make reports of suspicious activity to law enforcement and school officials.

Investigators and Volusia County School officials worked "around the clock" to investigate the tips, which all ended up being false, according to Chitwood. The sheriff said the onslaught of school shooting hoaxes was "absolutely out of control" and that it cost authorities close to $21,000.

"Since parents, you don't want to raise your kids, I'm going to start raising them," Chitwood said at a news conference Friday. "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."

Chitwood defended his decision on Monday when he released the full name, mug shot, and a video of an 11-year-old boy being escorted to a jail cell on social media. The boy, whom USA TODAY is not identifying because he is a minor, was charged with a felony for allegedly making a written threat of a mass shooting.

"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 said in a Facebook post.

The sheriff's social media posts garnered thousands of reactions, with many commending Chitwood's decision and calling for the boy's parents to be held accountable. Others criticized Chitwood and questioned the ethics of exposing children online.

Video shows officers escorting 11-year-old into jail cell

The 11-year-old boy was arrested after he made threats to commit a shooting at Creekside or Silver Sands Middle School in Port Orange, a city just south of Daytona Beach, Florida, according to Chitwood.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Monday that investigators were alerted through a tip from Fortify Florida that the boy had made threats and allegedly showed off several weapons in a video chat. He also had a written list of names and targets.

After searching the boy's room, investigators allegedly discovered a "large amount" of airsoft rifles, pistols, and fake ammunition along with knives, swords, and other weapons, according to the sheriff's office. The alleged list of names and targets was also recovered.

The boy told investigators that the threat was a joke, the sheriff's office said. He was taken into custody and transported to the Volusia Family Resource Center for processing before being transported to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

The video posted on social media showed the weapons investigators had recovered before cutting to officers escorting the boy into a facility with an empty cell. The boy is seen wearing handcuffs as he enters the facility and an officer is later seen putting ankle cuffs on the boy.

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False school shooting threats spike after Georgia shooting

The boy's arrest follows other similar incidents at schools across the country. On Friday, Chitwood reported that local authorities had received 207 threats for the 2024-2025 school year.

"We've arrested seven people for written threats to kill; one student, if you remember, tried to bring a loaded firearm into a Mainland (High School) football game," Chitwood said Friday. "We've had 11 weapons on our campuses this year."

Other incidents include two middle school students who were arrested last week after posting threats to commit a school shooting on TikTok and Instagram.

There has been a wave of violent threats against schools since the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia earlier this month. These threats have resulted in authorities arresting children, school closures or lockdowns, and increased law enforcement presence, USA TODAY previously reported.

Contributing: Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal