Father turns in 10-year-old son after he allegedly threatened to 'shoot up' Florida school

A 10-year-old Florida boy’s father turned him in after he made a threat to "shoot up" a high school on Snapchat, authorities announced Friday.

The threat was made in Wakulla County, about 25 miles south of Tallahassee. While a student reported the threat, the boy's father turned him in on Thursday, according to the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office.

Since January, there have been shootings at more than 20 schools across the United States. In early September, a teenager in Georgia took the lives of two classmates and two teachers, and injured nine other students on Sept. 4. 

Suspect told another student it was the student body’s ‘last day’

The investigation began on Wednesday after school had ended, the sheriff’s office said. Around 4 p.m. that day, Wakulla High School staff let a school resource officer know there was a threatening social media post circulating about the school.

A high school student told school staff that they talked to someone on Snapchat who said they were going to carry out a shooting at the school.

“It’s yalls last day,” the message continued.

According to the sheriff’s office, investigators worked Wednesday night and Thursday morning to find the person who made the threat. Someone with the Safe Schools Division at the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 10-year-old Woodville boy.

The sheriff's office said authorities "made contact with the subject who made the online threat at his residence in Leon County and interviewed him.”

According to the sheriff’s office, the agency told Wakulla County school officials early Thursday morning there was no danger to Wakulla High School or any other school in the division. 

Also on Thursday, a school resource officer who was part of the investigation secured an arrest warrant charging the 10-year-old with making a written or electronic threat to kill, do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.  

The sheriff’s office said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or FDLE, as well as the agency’s Cyber Crime Unit, Counter Terrorism Unit and Organized Crime Unit were part of the investigation. 

“FDLE’s contribution to this effort was timely, extensive and is appreciated,” the sheriff’s office said.

Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, Amaris Encinas

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her at[email protected].