A Florida fifth grader was arrested after making a fake threat to commit a mass shooting, according to police.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post it learned of the threatening message on Saturday, sent by a student at Patriot Elementary School in Cape Coral, Florida.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno said her team “didn’t hesitate one second” to investigate the threat. She said the student’s threat was fake.
“Right now is not the time to act like a little delinquent. It’s not funny. This child made a fake threat, and now he’s experiencing real consequences,” Marceno said.
The incident comes just days after a horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, left 19 children and two teachers dead. Law enforcement officers in Uvalde have come under heavy criticism for not entering the classroom where the shooting was taking place. The Justice Department announced Sunday it is reviewing the delayed police response.
In Florida, the “School Threat Enforcement Team” was immediately notified and began “analytical research,” the Facebook post said. The post said the Youth Services Criminal Investigations Division has taken over the case.
The fifth grader was charged with making a written threat to conduct a mass shooting.
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“This student’s behavior is sickening, especially after the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas,” Marceno said in the Facebook post. “Making sure our children are safe is paramount. We will have law and order in our schools! My team didn’t hesitate one second…NOT ONE SECOND, to investigate this threat.”
Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com.