2 More Volusia Students Arrested After School Threats

Date Added: March 05, 2018 7:54 pm

Andrew Gant
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

2 MORE VOLUSIA STUDENTS ARRESTED AFTER SCHOOL THREATS

Two more Volusia County teenagers were charged with making threats to a school Monday — the 16th and 17th students charged by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in cases of threats or false statements about weapons or violence since the Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in Parkland.

The latest defendants, a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, were arrested Monday afternoon at Florida United Methodist Children's Home in Enterprise. 

The 16-year-old student reportedly had disrupted class at FUMCH on Friday by threatening to blow up the school. He was suspended as a result. On Monday, during the lunch hour, he was heard speaking to the 15-year-old about the incident. The 15-year-old responded by repeatedly stating, "I'm going to blow up the school," speaking louder each time he said it and claiming no one would take him seriously.

Both students were charged with threatening to discharge a destructive device (790.162), a felony, and disruption of a school function (877.13), a misdemeanor. They were transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice without incident.

Last week, in light of the continued failures of so many students to heed repeated warnings from law enforcement and school administrators, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood warned that defendants or their families can be held responsible for paying the cost of the Sheriff’s Office response to their cases. That cost has been determined to be a minimum of $1,082. The true cost could be much higher depending on the resources required in each individual case. 

In addition, all offenders charged with threatening to discharge a destructive device (790.162) will qualify to be detained and held in secure detention.