Boy, 11, Faces Judge After Threatening To 'Shoot Up' Pines School
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - On Tuesday, a middle school student who made the latest threats against a Pembroke Pines school appeared before a juvenile court judge.
The judge gave the 11-year-old 21 days home detention.
The school district also suspended him for 10 days.
Pembroke Pines police said the boy had made 'threatening statements' at his school on Monday.
The student at Walter C. Young Middle School said "I'm going to shoot up the school!" during his first-period class, according to authorities.
Police said another student reported the incident to a school administrator after asking the boy if he was serious, to which he replied "Maybe, maybe not," according to police.
The boy, whose name was withheld because of his age, was subsequently detained by the school resource officer.
The mother of the boy was notified and responded to the school to assist in the investigation, police said.
Authorities said the boy admitted to making the threats due to being frustrated over his school lessons.
The boy faced a 2nd-degree felony charge of making a false report concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner.
The child was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing, police said.
"We have zero tolerance for school threats and will act accordingly," said Pembroke Pines police Captain Al Xiques.
On Sunday, a 13-year-old Pines student was arrested after making a threat online that he was going to shoot up his school.
The unnamed student was charged with a second-degree felony for making a false report concerning the use of a weapon at Pines Middle School.
After class Monday, some students said the teen was angry with a classmate and he took to social media to vent.
Many questioned the wisdom and maturity of the 13-year-old.
"It's dumb. Why would you threaten a school?" said a classmate.
Pembroke Pines police say the teen made the threat via an Instagram group chat. They say nine juveniles observed the threats.
After police questioned the 13-year-old, he told them it was intended as a joke.
Last Tuesday, police said a 17-year-old boy was arrested at Pembroke Pines Charter High School after saying he had left his gun in his car.
His mother tells CBS4 she thinks police went overboard.
"It was a joke taken too seriously," she said from her home. "It's miserable for my son and his siblings."
Altogether, there have been three incidents in less than a week involving threats made by students in Pembroke Pines.
On September 6th, a former student of West Broward High School made a threat on social media against the school.
In the month of September, there have been a total of four threats reported:
- West Broward High, Sept. 6th
- Pembroke Pines Charter High School, Sept. 18th
- Pembroke Pines Middle School, Sept. 23rd
- Walter C. Young Middle School, Sept. 24th
Police are urging parents to talk to their children about how to conduct themselves while on school grounds and while they are online.
Authorities say even if it is idle chatter, the consequences can be very real.
Similar school threats were made after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting last February.
