COCOA BEACH, Fla. – A 13-year-old boy was pulled from class and arrested after Cocoa Beach police said the student threatened to shoot up a school online, according to a news release issued Monday.
Police say they worked with staff at Cocoa Beach Jr. Sr. High School to confirm that a threat was made and identify the student.
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The boy, who was not named by police, is facing a charge of electronic threats to conduct a mass shooting. Police provided no other information, except that there were no other threats to the school or the public currently.
School and law enforcement officials across Central Florida say they’ve seen a spike in online threats and rumors of online threats against schools, and false tips have been reported to the Fortify FL app. Several students have been arrested, including one in Volusia County and one in Flagler County on Monday.
Brevard County has been cracking down on disciplinary issues over the past year. Last week the district announced it will begin testing metal detectors in its schools, starting with Melbourne High School. Those metal detectors are expected to be installed Oct. 8.
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