5th Grader Threatened Mass Shooting At Cape Coral School: Sheriff

CAPE CORAL, FL — A fifth-grade boy was arrested after threatening a shooting at a Cape Coral elementary school, according to a news release from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

The threat came less than a week after the May 24 shooting that left 21 people dead — 19 children and two teachers — at an elementary school in Texas.

The 10-year-old was charged with making a written threat to conduct a mass shooting.

Though the sheriff’s office has released the boy’s name, it is Patch policy not to name minors unless they’re charged as an adult. LCSO said the case is being investigated by its Youth Services Criminal Investigations Division.

• Related: School Shooting Threat On Social Media Leads To Arrest Of Lutz Man

Detectives said they learned Saturday about a threatening text message sent by the child, who attends Patriot Elementary School.

The boy texted photos of four AR-15 rifles, warning the recipient of the text, “get ready for water day,” WINK reported.

The School Threat Enforcement Team was immediately notified about the threat and began analytical research, the sheriff’s office said. The boy was interviewed, and detectives developed probable cause for his arrest.

He was brought to a juvenile detention center following his arrest, reports said.

“This student’s behavior is sickening, especially after the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said. “Making sure our children are safe is paramount. We will have law and order in our schools. My team didn’t hesitate one second — not one second — to investigate this threat.”

He added, “Right now is not the time to act like a little delinquent. It’s not funny. This child made a fake threat, and now he’s experiencing real consequences.”