Three Students Arrested for Criminal Use of Personal Identification and Threats of Mass Violence
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, detectives from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Threat Management Division arrested a Safety Harbor Middle School student for making written threats to conduct a mass shooting and for the criminal use of personal identification. Two additional Palm Harbor Middle School students were also arrested for criminal use of personal identification.
According to investigators, the 12-year-old Safety Harbor Middle School student accessed another student’s Pinellas County Schools Student Information System portal (FOCUS) and sent a threatening message to a Palm Harbor Middle School teacher, stating, “im gonna shoot the school up tomorrow be ready.” Detectives identified and contacted the student, who admitted to sending the message.
Further investigation revealed two Palm Harbor Middle School students accessed the same FOCUS account. The Safety Harbor Middle School student was charged with one count of written threats to commit a mass shooting and one count of criminal use of personal identification information. The two Palm Harbor Middle School students were each charged with one count of criminal use of personal identification information.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office continues to prioritize school safety and urges anyone with information about potential threats to report them immediately at (727) 582-6200 or through FortifyFL.