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Some Recent Incidents in Florida
On the afternoon of September 5, 2024, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was called to Bloomingdale High School after 15-year-old Avery Rhodes posted a chilling message on Snapchat that read, “ok imma shoot the school up,” accompanied by a photo. The post triggered a swift response from HCSO’s School Threat Assessment and Response (STAR) Team. Rhodes was arrested and charged with two counts: one for making a threat to conduct a mass shooting and another for the unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
In the early hours of September 5, 2024, a 16-year-old football player at George Jenkins High School in Lakeland, Florida, called a suicide prevention line, expressing his intentions to harm himself and shoot up his school. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office traced his phone to the school, where detectives found the teen in a weightlifting class, but no weapons were discovered. Despite the seriousness of the threat, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd remarked that the boy was a well-liked, intelligent student, who had no known mental health issues. The case underlines the unpredictability of such threats, as they often come from students who otherwise show no prior warning signs.
On August 12, 2024, the first day of the current school year, HCSO responded to Gaither High School after a threatening Instagram post surfaced. The post, made by 15-year-old Larenn Olsson, stated she intended to “shoot up” the school. Authorities swiftly responded to the post and interviewed her. She admitted to making the threat, which led to her immediate arrest without incident. Larenn now faces charges similar to other students caught up in this alarming trend of online threats: making a written or electronic threat to commit a mass shooting and the unlawful use of a communication device.
On Friday, September 13, 2024, Newsome High School went into a lockout after an anonymous threat was posted on Fortify Florida, a reporting tool for suspicious activity. The tip warned of a student planning to shoot a teacher and plant a bomb in school. HCSO deployed multiple units to the school, systematically ensuring the safety of all students and staff. Although no credible threat materialized, the incident required a large-scale law enforcement response, reflecting the gravity with which authorities treat even anonymous threats.
A Growing Concern
The alarming rise of school shooting threats, particularly through social media, has become a growing concern across the U.S. In recent years, schools in states like Florida, Texas, and California have faced hundreds of threats, often disseminated through platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Arrests related to school shooting threats have surged following high-profile incidents, such as the shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. The speed and anonymity of social media have made these platforms a preferred medium for students to make threats, forcing schools to increase security, initiate lockdowns, and disrupt daily operations. In many cases, these threats are found to be hoaxes, but the repercussions are real, leading to widespread fear, arrests, and lasting psychological impacts on school communities.
Understanding the root causes behind these threats, such as mental health crises, the influence of social media trends, and access to firearms, is essential for developing more effective prevention strategies.
Social Media
Social media has become a primary vehicle for spreading school shooting threats, often blurring the line between serious threats and hoaxes. Many students use platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok to make alarming posts, sometimes thinking it’s a joke or not realizing the seriousness of their actions. These posts can lead to school closures, arrests, and significant anxiety in communities.
In one notable recent example, two 12-year-old girls from Laredo, Texas, were arrested after posting a threat on Snapchat saying, “I’m going to be a school shooter.” Their middle school, Cigarroa Middle School, along with the nearby Cigarroa High School, canceled classes due to the threat. The girls were charged with making terroristic threats—which is a felony—and were held in juvenile detention. The swift action by the Laredo police helped avoid a potentially tragic situation, but the incident highlighted how even young students are using social media in harmful ways.
Authorities note that these threats, regardless of intent, strain resources and disrupt the educational environment. After high-profile school shootings, there is often a surge in threats, as seen after the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, when hundreds of threats were made across the U.S. The challenge lies in quickly distinguishing credible threats from hoaxes, all while maintaining public safety.
Impact on Schools and Communities
The rise in school shooting threats is having a profound impact on schools and their surrounding communities. Students, teachers, and parents are facing a growing emotional and mental toll, as the constant fear of potential violence weighs heavily on their daily lives. The mere idea that a shooting could happen at any moment creates an atmosphere of anxiety, making it hard for students to focus on learning and for teachers to provide effective instruction.
When threats lead to lockdowns or school closures, the disruption to education is significant. In some cases, like in Knox County, Tennessee, school attendance dropped by 25% after a single threat. This translates to lost instructional time and ongoing fear that detracts from the learning environment.
From a law enforcement perspective, these threats place an immense strain on resources. Each threat, regardless of whether it turns out to be a hoax, requires thorough investigation. This not only diverts law enforcement resources from other important matters but also perpetuates the cycle of fear within the school community. Balancing the need for a serious response with the possibility of hoaxes leaves both schools and law enforcement in a tough spot, contributing to further stress and disruption.
Ultimately, the ripple effect of these threats reaches beyond just the schools, impacting entire communities. Parents, students, and staff feel the long-term strain as these incidents disrupt their sense of safety, turning schools into places of fear instead of learning.
View Points—Educators, Parents, and Law Enforcement
The rise in school shooting threats has significantly impacted educators, parents, and law enforcement, each facing unique challenges in addressing the growing crisis.
Teachers: Many educators report heightened anxiety due to the regular threat of violence in schools. With frequent lockdown drills becoming the norm, teachers often find it difficult to maintain a productive learning environment. These drills, while necessary for safety, often increase stress levels among students and staff. A 2023 study found that more than 59% of teachers are worried about a school shooting happening at their school, with many stating that these drills contribute to an atmosphere of fear, even though shootings themselves are relatively rare. Teachers must now balance their role as educators with the responsibility of protecting their students during emergencies, which takes an emotional toll.
Parents: Parents are increasingly worried about sending their children to school, uncertain whether the next threat is credible or not. This constant state of fear is exacerbated by the prevalence of social media, which can amplify rumors and hoaxes. In states like Florida, parents have expressed frustration over how quickly unverified threats spread online, often creating panic even when there is no immediate danger. For many parents, school no longer feels like a safe place, and the regularity of lockdown drills has only heightened their anxiety.
Law Enforcement: Police departments are stretched thin, forced to investigate every threat as if it were real. In states like Texas, law enforcement has highlighted the strain of responding to non-credible threats, which still must be treated with utmost seriousness to ensure student safety. The volume of false alarms wastes valuable resources, yet authorities have no choice but to prioritize each incident, adding to the already immense pressure they face in safeguarding schools.
Each group—educators, parents, and law enforcement—shares a common burden: navigating a reality where the potential for violence looms large, even as many threats turn out to be hoaxes.
What Can Be Done?
Educators: The role of educators is crucial in fostering safe school environments. Schools need to emphasize mental health support by making counselors and resources available to students. Creating a positive school climate through anti-bullying programs and educating students on the serious consequences of making threats—even as a joke—can significantly reduce the likelihood of violent incidents. Research suggests that students often leak their intentions or struggles before committing acts of violence, making open likes of communication between students, teachers, and counselors vital. Establishing threat assessment teams that include mental health professionals and law enforcement can help identify risks early and intervene appropriately.
Elected Officials: Legislative efforts should focus on improving regulation of social media platforms, where many threats are disseminated. Ensuring platforms swiftly flag and address threats can reduce the potential for school-related violence. Additionally, investment in school security measures is essential, but this should be balanced with maintaining a welcoming learning environment, avoiding the atmosphere of a “prison-like” space for students. Regulations on firearm storage at home, where many school shooters access their weapons, should also be part of the solution.
Parents: Parents play a key role in prevention by maintaining open, non-judgmental communication with their children. This includes discussing the dangers of engaging with violent content online and helping children recognize warning signs in their peers. By encouraging their children to report troubling behaviors or online threats to a trusted adult, parents can aid in preventing school shootings. Proper firearm storage at home is also critical, as a significant portion of school shooters gain access to weapons from their own households.
PS: I’m a resident of Hillsborough County, Florida, and a PTA member at two schools within the Hillsborough County School District.