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Another child accused of school threat as Volusia County sees drop in reported incidents

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Updated  October 2, 2024 8:41pm EDT
Volusia County
FOX 35 Orlando

Volusia County sees drop in reported school threats

Another teen was arrested in Volusia County for making a school threat, but officials are noting a decrease in such incidents following a controversial approach by the sheriff’s office.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Another child was arrested in Volusia County for making a school threat, but officials are noting a decrease in such incidents following a controversial approach by the sheriff’s office.

An 11-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly making a fake threat against Silver Sands Middle School. The boy was later taken into custody and placed behind bars.

The boy's mother's 27-year-old boyfriend was also arrested at the scene after deputies said he obstructed officers when they arrived to take the boy into custody.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood began posting videos online of kids being arrested for making threats. Last month, he pledged to publicly handcuff and walk any child accused of a school threat into jail — and he's followed through, arresting nine students in September alone.

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Despite some backlash, Chitwood’s strategy appears to be effective. 

In one week, eight students were arrested, with 188 threats reported. Last week, only one student was arrested, and 40 threats were investigated — a drop of 80%. Those arrested face felony charges and are held in custody for 21 days, with Chitwood proposing a secure facility for offenders during that period.

In a separate incident, a Brevard County teenager was arrested after the FBI tipped off deputies about a TikTok comment referencing a school shooting. The 15-year-old claimed his friends had encouraged him to make the comment. He now faces felony charges.

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