- A 12-year-old Florida girl is facing two felony charges after sending a shooting threat to a teacher at her elementary school.
- She allegedly used her ex-boyfriend’s student account to send the message, threatening to “shoot up” the school on the last day of class.
- The Volusia Sheriff’s Office arrested her and posted the arrest video on Facebook, where it crossed one million views.
- She now faces charges of making written threats to kill and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — A 12-year-old girl is behind bars after investigators say she sent a chilling threat to a teacher at her Florida elementary school, warning she would “shoot up” the building on the last day of class.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest over the weekend after detectives received a report of an explicit written threat sent to a staff member at Louise S. McInnis Elementary School.
What made the case more alarming was how the threat was sent.
She Used Her Ex-Boyfriend’s Account to Send the Message
The threatening message did not come from the girl’s own student account. Investigators say she logged in using her ex-boyfriend’s credentials and sent the message from his profile.
The threat was directed at a teacher by name and included a warning that the sender planned to “shoot up” the school when the final school day arrived.
Detectives traced the account activity back to the girl after determining the 12-year-old boy whose account was used had no involvement in sending the message.
Two Felony Charges Filed Against the Sixth Grader
The girl now faces two felony charges — making written or electronic threats to kill, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Both are serious charges that carry significant legal consequences, even for a juvenile.
Authorities did not release details about whether a weapon was ever found or whether the threat was considered credible beyond the message itself.
Arrest Video Goes Viral With Over a Million Views
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office posted footage of the arrest to Facebook — and it spread fast.
The video crossed one million views within days.
In the footage, deputies are seen walking the handcuffed girl, described as having green hair and a septum piercing, from a patrol car toward the jail. She was then shackled and escorted into a cell, where she sat alone on a bench.
The video sparked a wave of reactions online, with viewers divided over how the situation was handled and what consequences a 12-year-old should face.
School Has Not Yet Responded
Louise S. McInnis Elementary School did not issue a public statement following the arrest.
It is unclear whether additional security measures were put in place ahead of the final days of the school year, or whether students and parents were notified directly by the school.
School shooting threats — even those made online or through indirect accounts — are taken seriously by law enforcement across Florida, particularly in the years following high-profile incidents at schools across the state.
This case is a reminder of how quickly a digital message can turn into a felony charge, regardless of the sender’s age.
Do you think a 12-year-old should face felony charges for a school threat made online? Share your thoughts in the comments — this is a conversation every parent and community member needs to have.
