JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Mandarin High School student was arrested Friday morning after posting an online threat showing a gun and warning students not to come to school, according to Duval County school district officials.
The arrest came after school administrators were alerted to the threatening social media post through Fortify Florida, a suspicious activity reporting app. The threat was posted Thursday night, prompting immediate investigation and communication with parents.
“When I read it, it did not feel like it was a joke. It definitely seemed like a very serious threat,” said one Mandarin High School parent, who requested anonymity and kept their child home from school Friday.
School principal Sara Bravo notified parents of the situation via phone calls late Thursday night and followed up with an email about the ongoing investigation. By 6 a.m. Tuesday, parents were informed of the suspect’s arrest.
Good morning Mandarin families, This is Principal Bravo I apologize for needing to call at this hour, but I wanted update you on the threat we received through Fortify Florida last evening. The threat was to carry out a shooting on our campus. Through the outstanding work of our school police department, the originator of the post has been located and arrested. There is no longer a threat to the school. We will still have a police presence to ensure our students, faculty and staff can put their mind at ease but again there is no threat to the school and all other school procedures will operate as normal. Again, I apologize for the hour of this message but I wanted to provide you with this update and I look forward to seeing our Mustangs as we make it a great Friday. Thank you to all those who have reported this threat via Fortify Florida. Have a Good Friday.
Principal Bravo
“I’m happy everything [was handled] under Principal Bravo. I am very, very happy,” said James, another Mandarin High School parent.
The incident at Mandarin High School was one of three school safety concerns reported across Northeast Florida on Thursday:
The Fortify Florida app, launched in 2018 following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, has led to multiple school threat arrests across the state despite some instances of false reporting.
“It makes me sad that they’re thinking they can get away with this. Anything that they do online can be tracked,” James added.
News4JAX reached out to the Duval County School District to learn more about what happened and the student involved.
Some parents remain concerned about sending their children back to school.
“I was actually very petrified and scared to even send her to school,” the anonymous parent said, adding they were still undecided about their child’s return next week.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters released a statement condemning the incident.
We take school threats very seriously. Protecting children, teachers, and staff is a top priority. We work constantly with our partner agencies, including the Duval County Public Schools Police Department, to ensure we stay ahead of any potential threats.
JSO has detectives assigned specifically to investigate threats made against schools and to act swiftly when those threats arise. If you make a threat against a school, you will be arrested and charged accordingly. These school-threat arrests whether led by DCPS Police or JSO, demonstrate our zero-tolerance stance.
“See something, say something” is not just a phrase; we urge the public to report suspicious activity. In some cases, we receive hundreds of tips, which showcases the strong partnership we have with the community to keep everyone safe.
Sheriff T.K. Waters
DCPS asked for parents to talk with their children about the incident to prevent this from happening again. The message reads in part:
We take no pleasure in seeing any student arrested. However, we will take every necessary step to ensure all students and staff are safe, and feel safe, in our schools.
Families – We need your support. That is why we’re sharing this message with our entire school community.
There is zero tolerance for threats. A threat – whether it’s verbal, on a bathroom wall, or posted on social media – is never dismissed as a prank, joke, or poor decision. If a threat violates the law, we will seek to find and arrest the person responsible.
Talk with your children. Talk with them today. Share news of this arrest and have a serious conversation about the dire, life-changing consequences that will result from making threats. That includes possible suspension, expulsion, and criminal charges. It will impact their future.
Continue to practice “See Something, Say Something.” Report threatening speech or activity to law enforcement, either directly or through the FortifyFl mobile app. If you haven’t done so already, please take this opportunity to download this threat reporting app to your cellphone.
Thank you for your continued support in keeping our schools safe for all students and staff.
Duval County Public Schools
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