Pierson Teen Arrested After Threatening To Shoot Up School Multiple Times

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Pierson, FL - A 17-year-old student at Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson was arrested after threatening to shoot up the school, becoming the 27th student to be charged with a felony by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) since the Parkland shooting.

On Friday afternoon, the dean of discipline notified the school’s resource deputy that two teens reported that a 17-year-old male student said: "When you hear the gunshots, don't be coming my way." Witnesses said the student made the comment to a group of four people when they were outside for lunch. One student told the 17-year-old to stop playing around but the student replied: "It's not a joke, it's a promise."

Another witness said the teen implied that he was going to shoot up the school when he said: “Don't come running to me when the school gets shot up." Witnesses say the teen made multiple threats multiple times and that they thought "it was a joke but it has gotten more serious, especially when he makes statements like 'you're lucky I don't have it today.’" A fourth witness reported that the student had previously made threats and said that he owned weapons such as guns and knives.

When the school resource deputy interviewed the student, he said he just “played along” with other students who said he was going to shoot up the school. The student told the deputy that it was a joke.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood maintains that there is a zero-tolerance policy for threats, whether they are made in-person or online. Defendants and their families are warned that they will be held responsible for costs associated with investigating each incident. This can cost $1,032 per case.

Photo courtesy HJHigh.com.

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