Broward Sheriff’s Office Threat Management Unit (TMU) detectives, in conjunction with several law enforcement partners, arrested a 14-year-old high school student on Saturday evening for making written threats to kill or conduct a mass shooting.

According to detectives, the student posted multiple stories on Instagram on Saturday afternoon that contained threats. One post listed several schools across Broward County that would be targeted with violence. Other posts contained additional threats of a school shooting or other violence. Multiple individuals saw these posts online and reported them to law enforcement.

BSO’s TMU and Real Time Crime Center detectives worked alongside law enforcement members from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Plantation Police Department, Broward County Public Schools Police, BSO’s Lauderdale Lakes District and BSO’s TITAN (Threat Intervention Tactics Analytics Network) to investigate the threats. Using investigative methods, detectives traced the threats to a 14-year-old female in Lauderdale Lakes. When confronted with the information by detectives, the teen confessed to making the threats and said she intended them as a joke.

Following her arrest, the teen was taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing. She faces charges of making written threats to kill/conduct a mass shooting, threat to throw, roject, place or discharge any destructive device and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

BSO reminds the community that these types of threats are taken seriously, investigated fully and could result in criminal charges. Also, anyone who sees or hears these types of threats should immediately report them to law enforcement or submit them to the SaferWatch app. You can download the app for free HERE.