4 More Volusia Students Face Felony Charges As Gun Threats, 'Jokes' Continue

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Volusia County, FL - Four more students have been charged with making threats of violence or false statements about guns at Volusia County schools, bringing the total number of students facing these types of charges from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office up to fifteen since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced on Thursday that defendants or their families will be held responsible for paying the cost of VCSO's response to their cases. Officials say that cost will be at least $1,082, but the true cost could be much higher, depending on the resources needed on a case by case basis.

Authorities say the four students who were charged on Thursday include a 14-year-old boy at Creekside Middle School, a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy at Deltona High School, and a 17-year-old boy at New Smyrna Beach High School.

The Creekside Middle School student allegedly said he was going to be the next school shooter and that he was going to do it soon. He also reportedly told another student on his school bus that he would shoot him. The student said he was joking. Those comments were made on February 16 but were reported to VCSO on Thursday, March 1.

The 14-year-old Deltona High School student reportedly held her hands like a gun, tapped a school employee on the shoulder, and then said "bang bang." That allegedly happened on Tuesday and another employee reported a similar incident on Wednesday afternoon. Both incidents were reported to VCSO on Thursday.

VCSO says the 15-year-old Deltona High School student told a teacher that he had a concealed weapon in his backpack. The bag was searched, but no weapon was found.

And, finally, the 17-year-old New Smyrna Beach High School student took a piece of paper with a gun and a bomb drawn on it and used it to pretend to shoot another student during class on Thursday. He told a deputy that he was only joking.

All four students are facing felony charges.

Photo courtesy Jacob Barone's Law Enforcement Photography and Flickr.com.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2018.

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