A South Carolina high school student was arrested Thursday after posting a social media message warning of a repeat of Wednesday’s school shooting in Florida.
FOX Carolina reports that a school district spokesperson said that the Broome High School student was arrested after the threat was made on Snapchat. An investigation was launched and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office arrested the ninth grader.
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The photo sees the student posing in front of a mirror holding what looks to be an assault rifle with the caption reading, “Round 2 of Florida tomorrow.”
Spartanburg School District Three spokesperson Sherri Horton told officials that they had received a tip from a student about a threat to the “safety of the students and staff of Broome High School.
A parent had reported the threat after their child saw the Snapchat photo and alerted them. The pair was able to identify the suspect and alerted authorities, who went to the suspect’s house.
The suspect, whose name is not being released due to his age, said the post was a joke. Police searched the home and located the mask and weapon the suspect used in the post. The weapon turned out to be a pellet gun, and deputies said the suspect did not have access to any actual firearms.
“After informing the suspect and his parents of the law violation, the suspect stated his Snapchat post was just intended as a joke, and that he didn’t have any serious intentions,” Lt. Kevin Bobo said.
The suspect was charged with disturbing schools and transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Greenville.
“The safety of our students and staff is of paramount importance,” Horton said in a statement from the school district. “In order to ensure the safety of every student, the District Three Administration and Board of Trustees are providing additional security at the school.”
Photo Credit: Snapchat
