‘Round 3’ threat targets local middle school, officials say

Officials are investigating a threat to a Manatee County middle school. It’s the second threat of violence to a local school since the Parkland school shooting last week.

School District of Manatee County spokesman Mike Barber confirmed Monday that the district’s security manager said law enforcement is aware of a particular threat to Braden River Middle School.

A photo shared on the social media application Snapchat, a screenshot of which was shared with the Bradenton Herald, showed a child holding a gun with a caption that said “Waiting on Tuesday for brms!! Round 3 Florida.”

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the threat, sheriff’s office spokesman Dave Bristow confirmed.

Manatee County schools were not in session Monday in observance of President’s Day.

Wednesday, a mass shooting killed 17 people and injured several more at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Nikolas Cruz, 19, was arrested later that day.

Last week, the School District of Manatee County posted a message to social media regarding threats to schools that Barber reiterated Monday.

“Every threat we get, we do work with law enforcement and try to find the source of the threat, and if we find them, they will be prosecuted,” Barber said.

Barber also confirmed there will continue to be increased law enforcement presence at county schools this week.

Friday, Bradenton Police Department officials investigated a threatening note found Thursday morning at Manatee High School.

A photo showing a partially masked man holding a gun with the message “Round 2 of Florida tomorrow,” resulted in the arrest of a ninth-grade student in South Carolina last week. The Sarasota and Manatee sheriff’s offices reported Thursday night they received reports of the threat circulating social media, but learned the photo was from the South Carolina arrest.

Saturday, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 14-year-old in connection to a threatening photo that said “Round 3 Florida on Tuesday” on his Snapchat account the day before. In the photo, deputies said he was holding a gun, one that appeared to be an AR-15-style assault rifle, and indicated the shooting would take place at a Pinellas County school. Detectives identified the teen in the photo and arrested him.

A 19-year-old Marathon man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly made threats toward Marathon High School, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office told the Florida Keys News. Duviel Gonzalez was arrested after several people reported seeing posts on Instagram of him holding guns threatening harm to people at the school. He told authorities the post was a joke.

Multiple media reports detail other arrests that have been made throughout the state after similar threats were made to Florida schools.

This story was originally published February 19, 2018 at 10:17 AM with the headline "‘Round 3’ threat targets local middle school, officials say."