I’m gonna ... shoot everybody.’ Third-grader threatens school shooting in Palmetto, cops say

A third grade student at Blackburn Elementary School in Palmetto was questioned by law enforcement on Feb. 7 after threatening to shoot other students and staff, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

An incident report, which was released late Wednesday, states the third grader was talking with two other students at their desks when he said, “I’m gonna leave and go home, get a gun and come back and shoot everybody.”

It’s the latest in a series of school violence threats that have occurred this school year.

In September and November, two students in separate incidents at Dr. Mona Jain Middle School made threats of killing other students. In October, a student at Nolan Middle School was arrested for allegedly brandishing two knives and brandishing a firearm while threatening to shoot another student on social media.

The majority of incidents this year have occurred in Manatee County high schools, but few arrests have been made. Most of the incidents have been handled internally by the school district, including the Feb. 7 incident with the third grader.

District spokesman Mike Barber has been consistent about these incidents in citing privacy rights when it comes to discussing student disciplinary actions.

The third grader in question was reported by other students and school staff questioned him about his comments, which the third grader denied saying. Deputies did respond to the student’s home, searched for weapons and found none, according to the sheriff’s office.

This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 8:56 AM.