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15-year-old Florida student arrested for threatening students with fake gun in school 'prank': deputies

By Dani Medina
Published  October 6, 2023 8:42am EDT
Flagler County
FOX 35 Orlando

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FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A 15-year-old student was arrested Wednesday for a "prank" involving a fake gun he threatened to shoot at other students, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. 

The student was arrested for felony aggravated assault and improper exhibition of a firearm. 

The Flagler Palm Coast High School student allegedly pointed what appeared to be a "colorful gun" at two students as they made their way to the gym, deputies said. The students told deputies the boy also pulled the trigger several times, threatening to shoot them. 

The students ran into a nearby bathroom to hide out of fear for their life, but the boy waited for them to come out to continue threatening them, deputies said. That's when the students realized the "gun" had an orange tip and he put it in his backpack. 

A deputy was able to ID the student during the investigation. When speaking with the student, he showed officials the "gun," which was identified as a gel blaster gun that replicated a glock with graffiti on it, deputies said. 

Photo: Flagler County Sheriffs Office

"Never, ever threaten someone’s life, even with a fake gun," said Sheriff Rick Staly in a statement. "A prank like this will only get you arrested. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in our schools. Fortunately, this was a fake gun, and the student immediately reported the incident and did exactly what they should have when threatened. Parents, talk to your children and be the Sheriff in your home. Otherwise, we will be and your kid will be arrested!"

Having a toy weapon on school campus is against the Flagler Schools Student Code of Conduct, and flaunting it like an actual weapon is a violation of Florida Law, as well as a Level 4 violation which is reported to the Florida Department of Education. 

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"We applaud the student who immediately reported this incident to a staff member. She saw something and then said something," Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said. "Although it appears this was a toy gun, we must take every incident in which a weapon is reported to be on any of our campuses seriously. We thank the quick actions of our campus staff as well as the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in response to the alleged threat."

The student was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and was later taken to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.