Boy, 16, accused of ‘threats to kill’ is third student arrest linked to violence in less than a week
WESTON – A 16-year-old boy who is accused of making threats saying there would be a shooting at Cypress Bay High School is the third student to be arrested in recent days after threats were made to different Broward schools.
The boy, who is a junior at the school at 18600 Vista Park Blvd. in Weston, made email and text threats that led to a Code Red lockdown at the school on Friday and a Code Yellow lockdown on Monday when, “the threats continued as faculty and students received more threatening messages,” the Broward Sheriff’s Office said in a statement late Monday night.
The teen was charged with making a false report about the use of a firearm and writing threats to kill, according to sheriff ’s office spokeswoman Kayla Concepcion. He was taken to Broward’s Juvenile Assessment Center.
This was the third arrest since Thursday in connection to threats made to area schools:
A 14-year-old Lauderhill girl was arrested Thursday and accused of making bomb threats to Lauderdale Lakes Middle School, 3911 NW 30th Ave., Lauderdale Lakes and nearby Oriole Elementary School, 3081, NW 39th Ave. Both schools were evacuated while deputies checked for explosives, but nothing was found.
On Sunday, the sheriff’s office announced the arrest of a 12-year-old girl who is accused of making social media threats — that included a “death list” — to students at Falcon Cove Middle School, 4251 Bonaventure Blvd., Weston.
Following the most recent arrest, the sheriff’s office reiterated that “all threats are taken very seriously and will be thoroughly investigated.”
To remind students of the personal risk of making school threats — both real and false — the Broward School District Monday put out a Twitter link to a compelling, cautionary video on its website. In it, Broward’s chief judge, Jack Tuter, and Judge Elijah Williams, who presides over juvenile cases, warn students about the consequences of school threats.
“Think before you act,” Tuter says in the video, reminding students that their actions can affect their future college, military and job applications.
“Your actions can have a lifetime of consequences.”
Williams notes that convictions have consequences, too — including up to three years in confinement.
“Believe me, you do not want to see me in a courtroom,” Williams warned.
The teen arrested in connection with the threats at Cypress Bay has been ordered to remain in juvenile detention for 21 days.