Taravella High School student panics students, parents with school threats, facing 19 charges, police say
FORT LAUDERDALE - A Coral Springs high school student has been arrested in connection with a school shooting threat that sparked panic Friday in several other districts in the state, including Broward and Miami-Dade, police said.
The 18-year-old girl is a student at Taravella High School and she allegedly used another student's name and their computer access to transmit the threat, police said in a social media post.
Catrina petit is facing 19 charges. They include three counts of intimidation to write or send a threat to kill or injure, one count of a false report of a weapon of mass destruction, and 15 counts of interfering with school administration functions.
According to records from the Broward County Sheriff's Office, Petit is currently being held in the North Broward Bureau Detention Center in Pompano Beach.
The incident sparked a wave of concern among law enforcement, parents, students and staff before several agencies ruled that it was not credible.
Doral police posted on Twitter that they were aware of an image circulating on various social media platforms that made a threat for Friday.
"In collaboration with local agencies, this incident has been investigated and deemed non-credible," they posted.
Miami-Dade schools police post this on Twitter.
Doral police said in "an abundance of caution" they will have an increased presence at schools on Friday.
A similar situation is playing out in Broward.
In an email to parents, the school district said:
"Broward County Public Schools is aware of a message being circulated regarding a not credible threat. While the message does not indicate a specific school, all threats are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly in partnership with local law enforcement. Although the threat has been determined not credible, law enforcement continue to investigate the source. The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority; and we encourage everyone, if you see something, say something."
The district encouraged parents to remind their children that any threat, even if they think it's a joke, is taken seriously. In Florida, a threat made against a school is a second-degree felony. Students also face school disciplinary measures as outlined in the Code Book for Student Conduct, including expulsion.
Non-credible threats to schools have been reported by several districts across the state, including Lee and Flagler counties.
On Friday, Broward Public Schools announced that all of its students would have to bring clear backpacks and bags in the fall.
Here's what you need to know:
Clear Backpack Bag 2023-24 Flyer FAQS ADA Final by mauricio on Scribd
