VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Two students from a Volusia County high school were arrested Tuesday morning after they threatened to kill a student in a group chat, the Volusia’s Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.
The students both attend Taylor High School and threatened a DeLand High School student over a female friend, deputies said.
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Deputies were notified through FortifyFL about comments made in a group chat where one of the suspects said he would bring an AK-47 to school and another said “let’s kill” another student, the affidavit states.
Deputies searched and confirmed that the student who said he would bring a firearm did not have any firearms in his home, according to the arrest affidavit.
The incident started when the DeLand student was at a party on Saturday, when four individuals confronted him to fight, but he walked away, according to the affidavit.
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The DeLand student told deputies he had another argument with another individual on Monday, which led to an unknown person making a group chat where multiple individuals made statements, including one of the arrested students who said they should kill the threatened student.
The victim’s parent wishes to press criminal charges, according to deputies.
Both students were arrested on charges of making written threats to kill, the affidavit states.
Under Florida law, any electronic record, including text, graphic, video or digital communication like social media chats, qualifies as a written threat.
The sheriff’s office urges parents to discuss the severe repercussions of making threats, even in private conversations, with their children as they can lead to felony charges, detention, and a permanent mark on their record.
News 6 is not naming or showing the students because of their age.