A Santa Rosa Beach man was arrested over the weekend after allegedly making threats about a school shooting on TikTok, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
- Ethan Ladner, 20, was charged with making electronic threats of a mass shooting, a felony in Florida.
The Sheriff’s Office said it was notified by the FBI of a possible threat involving comments referencing a planned school shooting. The individual behind the account live-streamed threatening statements that were immediately flagged and pulled down, according to the release.
With the FBI’s assistance, deputies identified Ladner as the alleged account holder. When contacted, Ladner confirmed the account belonged to him and admitted to posting the threatening comments, saying he was attempting to provoke reactions online, the sheriff’s office said.
- “There is no such thing as a ‘joke’ when it comes to threats of violence toward our schools,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Every threat is treated as credible until proven otherwise.”
The agency noted these investigations require extensive law enforcement resources and carry serious legal consequences.
The sheriff’s office urged parents to speak with their children about the consequences of posting threats or violent language online, warning that even comments made as jokes can result in criminal charges, school discipline and long-term consequences.
