Manatee schools on alert as rumors of threats across the U.S. spread on social media
Manatee County schools were on alert after threats spiked following last month’s shooting at a high school in Michigan and, more recently, social media rumors that warned of threats nationwide.
A series of TikTok posts discussed the unsubstantiated rumor that violence would take place at schools throughout the country on Friday. And two local threats — with at least one leading to arrests — took place over the last several days.
In response, the School District of Manatee County sent a message to the families of middle and high school students Thursday evening, assuring them classes would continue as normal.
“While these threats are a disruption to education in our schools, the School District and local law enforcement agencies take every threat seriously,” the message states. “Each threat is investigated, sources are identified and interviewed, and strict consequences occur.”
Kate Barlaug, the principal at Haile Middle School, informed parents of a threat involving the school on Thursday.
In a message sent during the school day, Barlaug said the campus added extra security and worked alongside the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to investigate.
“A suspect has been identified, interviewed and an arrest is being made,” the principal wrote. “While our students and campus are safe, the investigation is continuing and additional arrests could be made.”
“Please take this opportunity to emphasize to your students that anyone who makes a threat against a school, even in jest, is subject to extremely serious and even life altering criminal and school district consequences,” the message continues.
Two 13-year-old boys were arrested and charged with written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, a second-degree felony.
The threat — a bomb threat posted on Snapchat — was traced back to the two teens who later admitted to deputies to making the post, a sheriff’s office spokesman said on Friday.
And on Wednesday, after law enforcement determined a threat against Parrish Community High School was not credible, an assistant principal released a similar statement, warning students and families about the consequences of making school threats.
That could mean not only discipline at the school level, but also a felony charge against students who makes such a threat in Florida.
It was not the first threat the sheriff’s office has investigated at the high school this month. Last week and earlier this month, two additional verbal threats were made and later deemed not credible.
Security at schools has been heightened as a result, Warren said, adding that law enforcement does so “anytime there is a trend that is circulating, especially on national level that people are making claims that some kind of violence are going to happen.”
Spikes in copycat or hoax threats at schools in the United States are common following a mass shooting at a school. Most recently these threats have followed the shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, where a 15-year-old student is charged with killing four people and injuring seven others.
In the year after the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed and 17 others injured, there were more than 50 threats made against Manatee County schools.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the social media application TikTok said it was cooperating with law enforcement to investigate the latest rumors about potential violence at school.
“We’ve exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing,” TikTok said in an updated statement on Friday. “What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe.”
“Local authorities, the FBI, and DHS have confirmed there’s no credible threat, so we’re working to remove alarmist warnings that violate our misinformation policy,” the update continues. “If we did find promotion of violence on our platform, we’d remove and report it to law enforcement.”
How to report a threat
FortifyFL: By visiting getfortifyfl.com or downloading the FortifyFL application, available on both Apple and Android, anyone can anonymously submit information about a possible school threat in Florida.
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office: 941-747-3011
Bradenton Police Department: 941-932-9300
Palmetto Police Department: 941-721-2000
Manatee School District: Call the Matzke Support Complex at 941-708-8800 and ask for someone from the Safety and Security Department.
And if there’s an immediate emergency, call 911.
This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 1:51 PM.
