BSO arrests teen after allegedly making mass shooting threats made to Broward schools

LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. - The Broward Sherriff's Office arrested a 14-year-old girl from Lauderdale Lakes over the weekend after she allegedly made threats on social media against some schools across Broward County.

According to the sheriff's office, the teenager threatened to kill or conduct a mass shooting on multiple of her Instagram stories on Saturday afternoon. Specifically, the posts listed several schools across Broward County that would be targeted with violence.

The girl also allegedly made posts containing threats of a school shooting or other violence. The threats were then reported by people who saw the posts on her Instagram story.

"A social media threat posted this weekend against specific Broward County Public Schools has been neutralized," Broward County Public Schools said on social media. "After working with the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) and other local law enforcement agencies, an arrest was made in connection with the posts made on Saturday, September 7, 2024. There is no safety concern to any of our campuses regarding this post."

Along with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Threat Management Unit, or TMU, detectives with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Plantation Police Department, Broward County Public Schools Police, BSO’s Lauderdale Lakes District and BSO’s TITAN (Threat Intervention Tactics Analytics Network) assisted in the investigation.

BSO said the alleged teen has been charged with making written threats to kill/conduct a mass shooting, threat to throw, project, place or discharge any destructive device and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

The disturbing news follows last week's mass shooting by a 14-year old student at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The suspect is accused of killing two students, two teachers, and wounding nine others.

"BSO reminds the community that these types of threats are taken seriously, investigated fully and could result in criminal charges," the release said. "Also, anyone who sees or hears these types of threats should immediately report them to law enforcement or submit them to the SaferWatch app."