Parrish high schoolers arrested in TikTok threats during bomb evacuation, sheriff says

Law enforcement has arrested two students at Parrish Community High School for posting videos to TikTok that imitated mass shootings on campus, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said in news releases Thursday.

Both students have been charged with making written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting, a second-degree felony.

The videos were filmed on Tuesday while students were being evacuated from the high school due to an anonymous online bomb threat. The school has received a string of bomb threats since last week, and law enforcement has not yet identified a suspect.

Detectives say they have no evidence that the students who posted the mock shooting videos are connected to the bomb threats.

In one video, a student simulated conducting a mass shooting with a toy gun, the sheriff’s office said.

A school resource deputy identified the student in the TikTok video, and the student was arrested at their home on Thursday morning and taken to a juvenile detention center.

A similar video posted by a different student came to the attention of law enforcement via anonymous tips and a student who showed it to a school resource deputy on Thursday.

The student who posted the video was located in a classroom and arrested.

“Deputies continue to investigate leads on multiple cases involving school threats,” a news release said.

On Wednesday, a Buffalo Creek Middle School student was arrested for a similar video posted to TikTok that imitated a mass shooting, the sheriff’s office said.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Parrish Community High School principal Craig Little urged anyone with information about the recent school security threats to come forward.

“Parents, we need help with talking to your children. If they know anything related to the incidents over the past few days, we’re asking that they please reach out to school administration.”

Crime Stoppers of Manatee County is offering a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest related to the bomb threats.

This story was originally published February 9, 2023 at 1:19 PM.