A 15-year-old Fort Walton Beach girl has been arrested and charged with making electronic threats to kill or do bodily harm to a middle school student, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
- The suspect was taken into custody on an active warrant on September 13, following an investigation into threats made against a 12-year-old student at Pryor Middle School.
On September 4, the victim reported receiving threatening messages on Snapchat from the suspect. The threats were allegedly made over an incident involving the suspect’s girlfriend.
Investigators say the suspect sent the victim a photo of herself holding a firearm, along with texts threatening to shoot or hurt him after classes at Pryor Middle School or outside her apartment. Deputies quickly tracked down the suspect and searched her home, but no weapon was found.
- The suspect had recently moved back to Okaloosa County from another state and was not actively enrolled in or attending classes in the county at the time of the incident, according to the report.
Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers issued a statement addressing the situation:
“The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office notified the Okaloosa County School District of a threat against one of our students through a social media post. Upon receiving this report, the Sheriff’s Office and our district administration immediately launched an investigation. Appropriate safety measures were promptly put in place to protect the student victim involved.”
Chambers emphasized the district’s zero-tolerance policy for threats against students, staff, or school campuses. “All violations of the District’s Student Code of Conduct—whether real, false, or perceived—are treated with utmost seriousness,” he said.
“We take all threats seriously and will not tolerate any actions compromising the security and well-being of our students, staff, and school communities,” added Chambers. “While the individual involved was not actively enrolled in our district at the time, this incident reminds us that we must remain vigilant in protecting our school community. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to maintain safe and secure learning environments for all.”
The suspect has been turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
