Threat of a school shooting leads to 13-year-old girl’s arrest

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested after deputies say she left a message at King Middle School threatening to shoot all the staff and students at the school.

Investigators quickly responded to the school, 600 75th St. NW, Bradenton, and the girl’s home, and determined she had made a false threat, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

At about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, the 13-year-old girl left a voicemail on the King Middle School registrar’s extension at the school, saying she was planning on coming to school that morning and shooting all of the school’s staff and students, according to a news release.

When staff received the message at 8:30 a.m., the school resource officer was immediately notified and patrol deputies quickly responded to the school.

By 9:30 a.m., the 13-year-old girl — reportedly not a King Middle School student — was found at her home and arrested.

“There was no evidence that she planned or had the ability to carry out the threat, the sheriff’s office stated.

The Manatee County School District sent out a message at 9:27 a.m. notifying parents that there was a situation at the school and notifying them the school was placed on lockdown, according to district spokesman Mike Barber. Additional district staff were also sent to the school to assist with the incident.

Students who were arriving for school — which starts at 9:30 a.m. — were directed to shelter in place as they were arriving, Barber said.

By 9:45 a.m., a second message was sent to parents to inform them that the person who had made a false threat had been apprehended.

This story was originally published May 2, 2017 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Threat of a school shooting leads to 13-year-old girl’s arrest."