12-Year-Old Arrested After Texting Intent To Shoot Up School

SEMINOLE, FL — Pinellas County sheriff's deputies have arrested a 12-year-old Seminole Middle School student for texting a message to a friend saying he was going to shoot up the school. Pinellas County schools in Seminole were already on "high alert" after a message was posted on the social media app Snapchat threatening a school shooting.

According to investigators, at 10:41 a.m. Monday, the 12-year-old student sent a text message to his friend that read: "hi. It's me. Ima shoot up the school."

The student who received the message went to school administrators and reported the text message. School administrators and the school resource deputy took the 12-year-old student out of class and interviewed him about the text message.

The student admitted to sending the text message using the messaging app, Text Now, but said he sent it as a joke.

He was arrested and charged with threatening communications or threats of a mass shooting and taken to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center.

When the text message was reported, Seminole Middle School and nearby schools were already on "high alert" after a Snapchat message was posted indicating there would be a school shooting at a Seminole school Monday.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is investigating the Snapchat threat but does not believe it is related to the threatening text message at Seminole Middle School.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office offers a social media resource for parents called "A Toolbox for Parents" that helps parents protect their children while online.