FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – School threats are on the rise across the state and now one Florida sheriff is making a stern warning to kids and their parents.
Broward County has already seen nine students arrested for making violent threats to schools since August.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood was candid and direct as he spoke to the public about this ongoing problem.
“This is absolutely out of control and it ends now,” said Chitwood. “Since parents, you don’t want to raise your kids, I’m going to start raising them. You think it’s a joke, you’re going to find your ass in handcuffs.”
Chitwood was not holding back Friday when he warned parents and students alike about making threats against schools.
“For the little bastards out there who think its funny, ha, ha, ha, I’m going to get on social media,” Chitwood said. “You ain’t that smart, you an’t that smart. You’re getting caught.”
It’s a growing problem in Volusia County and around the state.
Chitwood said his office has received 207 tips about threats to schools already this school year.
In South Florida, a similar problem. On Wednesday. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony and Broward Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn announced the arrest of nine students for posting online threats.
“If you did an assessment of every time one of these pranks happens, we’re probably burning up about $50-60K for that operation,” said Tony. “That’s serious folks.”
Those ultimately fake threats mentioned six locations, including the Broward County School Board offices.
“It can change the trajectory of their life, often ending up in arrest and expulsion from our schools,” said Hepburn.
Florida strengthened its penalties for making threats in 2018, making it easier to charge those making the posts with felonies.
“Go talk to the families who have lost a loved one in a school shooting,” said Chitwood. “These little knuckleheads think it’s funny, go talk to those parents.”
All of those arrests in Broward County were students between the ages of 11 and 14.
All of those threats were posted online or in text messages, and all of those kids now facing possible jail time.