Florida sheriff releases mugshot of 11-year-old accused of making school shooting threats

A Florida sheriff has released a photo and video of an 11-year-old charged with a crime for allegedly making a written threat of a mass shooting.

The release comes just days after the sheriff announced he would release photos of students arrested for threatening to shoot up the school; two teenagers and an 11-year-old child were arrested in the past few days.

“Since parents don’t want to raise their children, I’m going to raise them,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said at a news conference Friday. “Every time we make an arrest, a picture of your children will be released, and if I can do it, I’ll take your child for a walk so everyone can see what your child is doing.”

The sheriff’s office on Monday announced the arrest of an 11-year-old Creekside High School student who allegedly threatened to shoot up the school and had “a written list of people he said he wanted to kill,” authorities said.

A Port Orange boy is accused of showing off “several types of weapons” during a video call with friends and threatening to shoot up Creekside High School or Silver Sands High School, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. Detectives were notified through Fortify Florida, which allows people to anonymously report suspicious activity to law enforcement and school officials.

The sheriff’s office released the child’s name, mugshot and video of him being escorted to the jail. NBC News is not releasing the child’s name or showing his photo because he is a juvenile.

The footage shows the child handcuffed behind his back as officers lead him to jail. He is then handcuffed around the ankles as he is made to wait in a cell while officers collect some documents.

“Do you have any questions?” the deputy asks.

“No, sir,” the boy replies.

Authorities searched the child’s room and allegedly found a large number of airsoft guns, pistols and fake ammunition, as well as knives, swords and other weapons, according to a news release. An alleged target list was also recovered.

According to a press release, the child told officers the threat was a joke.

Sheriff Chitwood said this was no laughing matter.

“Go talk to the families who lost a loved one in a school shooting. These little idiots think it’s funny. Go talk to these parents and see how funny it is. It’s not,” he said at a news conference Friday.

The sheriff said more than 54 tips were recently reported through Fortify Florida, and investigators and school districts “were working around the clock to investigate those tips that turned out to be false.”

He said the situation was “absolutely out of control” and was costing investigators thousands of dollars.

“We’re going to put up a poster, I’m going to show you every kid that’s been arrested and where they go to school. And from now on, we’re going to publicly shame them and their parents,” the sheriff told reporters. “So parents, do your part. Don’t let Sheriff Chitwood raise our kids. This is absolutely ridiculous.”

The 11-year-old’s arrest comes days after the arrests of two Heritage Middle School students. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Friday that the two teens, ages 13 and 14, allegedly posted the threats on TikTok and Instagram. Both were charged with a felony count of making written threats to kill.

Volusia County Schools said in a joint statement with the sheriff’s office that “safety is our top priority” and that every possible threat is thoroughly investigated.

“Any student or individual found responsible for making threats or spreading false information will face serious consequences. This includes school-level disciplinary action, such as suspension or expulsion, as well as potential legal action, including arrest,” the statement reads. “We need the continued support of our parents and community members to reinforce the seriousness of these crimes to your children.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com