A fed-up Florida sheriff recently warned parents that his department will start to “perp-walk” children and release their mug shots over bogus school shooting threats. Days later, the department followed through on its warning.
During a press conference last week, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood told the community that his department has been inundated with hoax school shooting threats, noting that his office has already spent $21,000 investigating the reports.
‘We’re going to publicly shame them and their parents.’
He started the presser by stating, “This is absolutely out of control, and it ends now.”
Chitwood noted that over a one-day period, at least 54 tips were reported to Fortify Florida, an application that allows residents to report suspicious activity. According to Chitwood, many of the reported tips are phony.
“That means investigators in the school district have been running around the clock to investigate these tips, which are all turning out to be false,” he explained.
So far in 2024, the department has arrested seven people “for written threats to kill,” Chitwood said, noting that one student was arrested for attempting to bring a loaded firearm to a school game. He also stated that 11 weapons had been brought onto school property.
“Since parents, you don’t want to raise your kids, I’m going to start raising them,” Chitwood declared.
He explained that moving forward, when a child is arrested for making school threats, the department will release their mug shot and conduct a “perp-walk.”
“Every time we make an arrest, your kid’s photo is gonna be put out there. And, if I could do it, I’m going to perp-walk your kid so that everybody can see what your kid’s up to,” Chitwood said. “If I can any way find out that a parent knew what was going on and wasn’t doing anything, your ass is getting perp-walked with them.”
Chitwood stated that the department would put up a poster with photographs of every child who has been arrested and which school they attend.
“From there on out, we’re going to publicly shame them and their parents,” he remarked. “So, parents, do your job. Don’t let Sheriff Chitwood raise your kids.”
He called the situation “absolutely ridiculous.”
“Go talk to the families who have lost a loved one in a school shooting. These little knuckleheads think it’s funny. Go talk to those parents and see how funny this is,” Chitwood said. “It’s not. We’re going to come and get you. We’re going to put you out for public embarrassment. And I know a set of parents right now that they’re looking at $11,000 each because somebody’s paying this bill.”
Days later, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office delivered on its promise, releasing a mug shot and a video of deputies perp-walking an 11-year-old boy into custody for allegedly threatening a school shooting.
According to the department, the boy “had a written list of names and targets.” He told law enforcement that “it was all a joke.”
Chitwood posted on X, “As promised. We just arrested a Creekside Middle School student who made threats to commit a school shooting at Creekside or Silver Sands Middle School.”
The post included a video and a photograph of items confiscated from the boy’s house, which included “airsoft guns, fake ammunition, knives, swords and other weapons he was showing off to other students on video.”
The child has been charged with a felony.
“I can and will release the names and photos of juveniles who are committing these felonies, threatening our students, disrupting our schools and consuming law enforcement resources,” Chitwood remarked.
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News, Crime, Florida, Volusia county sheriff’s office, Volusia county, Mike chitwood, School threat, School shooting, Politics
