A Florida sheriff fed up with a spate of false school shooting threats is taking a new tactic to try to get through to students and their parents - he is posting the mugshot of any offender on social media.
This comes in response to a wave of school shooting hoaxes that have been reported across the country, including following the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia , where two students and two teachers lost their lives.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, based on Florida 's Atlantic Coast, expressed his frustration with these hoaxes which not only target students but also disrupt schools and drain law enforcement resources. In a stern warning to parents via social media posts on Monday, Chitwood stated that if their children are arrested for making such threats, he'll ensure the public is aware.
"Since parents, you don't want to raise your kids, I'm going to start raising them," Chitwood declared. "Every time we make an arrest, your kid's photo is going to be put out there. And if I can do it, I'm going to perp walk your kid so that everybody can see what your kid's up to."
The sheriff made this announcement while sharing a video that highlighted the arrest of an 11-year-old boy who was taken into custody for allegedly threatening to carry out a school shooting at either Creekside or Silver Sands Middle School in Volusia County.
Chitwood went ahead to post the boy's full name and mugshot on his Facebook page.
A video with over 270,000 Facebook views by Monday afternoon shows a table laden with airsoft guns, pistols, mock ammo, knives, and swords that officers allege the boy flaunted to classmates.
The footage then switches to the boy being escorted from a police car, handcuffed, into a detention center, wearing a blue flannel shirt, black sweatpants, and slides. The boy's face is clearly seen at several points.
"Right this way, young man," directs an officer as the boy walks with his hands cuffed behind him. He's taken to a barren cell, metal restraints on his wrists and ankles, as an officer shuts and locks the door.
"Do you have any questions? " inquires the officer after securing the door. "No sir," responds the boy.
The clip sparked varied online responses, with some locals commending Sheriff Chitwood and urging him to also expose or charge the parents.
Others criticized the sheriff's actions, arguing that the 11 year old is just a kid and his parents should bear the blame. Florida statutes typically keep juvenile court records private unless the minor faces a felony charge, which applies here.
Florida law enforcement officials have been on high alert, tracking a surge of threats since the start of the 2024-2025 school year. In Broward County, where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is located, nine students aged between 11 and 15 have already been arrested for making threats since August, according to last week's reports.
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony emphasized at a press conference: "For my parents, to the kids who are getting ready for school, I'm going to say this again, nothing about this is a laughing or joking matter."
He further added: "Parents, students, it's not a game."
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