Threats Against Schools Continue; St. Pete Student Arrested

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- The spate of Tampa Bay students making threats toward their schools continued at Tyrone Middle School where a 14-year-old student was arrested Monday, March 5.

St. Petersburg Police became aware that the eighth-grade girl wrote a threatening message on a school bathroom wall on Feb. 28. The next day the department learned that a picture of a boy holding a weapon in a Snapchat post, threatening violence at her school, was being circulated via social media.

Thanks to numerous tips and the cooperation of her parents, the 14-year-old was arrested Monday. She faces a second-degree felony charge of making a false report concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner.

Almost half of the students at Tyrone Middle School did not show up to school on Friday, March 2, due to the threat.

The St. Petersburg Police are encouraging students, teachers, parents and the community not to share any social media posts containing alleged or perceived threats or false reports and to call the police if they see or hear something threatening.

Image via Pinellas School District