A 13-year-old student from Thomas E. Weightman Middle School in Pasco County was arrested after making threats to fellow students. Currently suspended from school, the student now faces criminal charges, including Written Threats to Kill and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office reported yesterday on Facebook.
Despite the threats made on social media, authorities assured the community that, according to a statement obtained by WFLA, "there is currently no threat to the school or any of the students." Suspended from school yesterday, the student's threats were taken seriously by law enforcement in an environment ever more vigilant regarding the safety of its children.
In a social media post, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office reiterated the importance of community awareness, stating, "PSO once again urges parents and guardians to speak with their children about the consequences of making threats and the dangers of sharing threats and rumors instead of reporting them immediately to law enforcement."
According to a report from the Tampa Free Press, the incident has prompted the sheriff's office to emphasize the importance of dialogue about social media conduct and its real-world implications.
