Florida sheriff releases mugshot of 11-year-old charged with threatening to carry out school shooting

A Florida sheriff has released a mugshot and video of an 11-year-old child who is facing felony charges for allegedly sending written threats to carry out a mass shooting.

The release came just days after the sheriff announced he would begin releasing mugshots of students arrested for threatening to carry out school shootings. Two teenagers and an 11-year-old child were taken into custody in recent days.

“Since parents don't want to raise their children themselves, I'm going to start raising them,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said at a news conference Friday. “Every time we arrest someone, your child's photo will be released and if I can manage it, I will accompany your child as the offender so everyone can see what your child is up to.”

On Monday, the sheriff's office announced the arrest of an 11-year-old Creekside Middle School student who allegedly threatened to carry out a shooting spree at the school and carried a “written list of people he allegedly wanted to kill,” authorities said.

The Port Orange boy is accused of displaying “multiple weapons” during a video chat with friends and threatening to commit the shooting at Creekside or Silver Sands Middle School, the sheriff's office said in a news release. Investigators were alerted through Fortify Florida, which allows people to anonymously report suspicious activity to police and school authorities.

The sheriff's office released the child's name, a mugshot and a video showing him being taken to jail. NBC News is not naming the child or showing a picture because he is a minor.

In the video, the child's hands are seen being handcuffed behind his back as officers take him to the jail. His ankles are then shackled and he is told to wait in a cell until officers can gather some paperwork.

“Do you have any questions?” asks the MP.

“No, sir,” the boy replies.

Authorities searched the child's room and allegedly found a large number of airsoft rifles, pistols and counterfeit ammunition, as well as knives, swords and other weapons, the press release said. The alleged list of targets was also seized.

According to the press release, the child told officers the threat was a joke.

Sheriff Chitwood said this was no joke.

“Talk to the families who lost a loved one in a school shooting. These little idiots think it's funny. Talk to the parents and see how funny it is. It's not,” he said at the press conference on Friday.

The sheriff said more than 54 tips have been reported through Fortify Florida recently and investigators and school districts are “working around the clock to follow up on these tips, all of which have turned out to be false.”

He said the situation was “completely out of control” and costing investigators thousands of dollars.

“We're going to put up a poster, I'm going to show you every child that's been arrested and where they go to school. And from then on, we're going to publicly shame them and their parents,” the sheriff told reporters. “So parents, do your job. Don't let Sheriff Chitwood raise our children. This is absolutely ridiculous.”

The 11-year-old's arrest comes days after two students from Heritage Middle School were taken into custody. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Friday that two teenagers, ages 13 and 14, allegedly posted threats on TikTok and Instagram. Both have been charged with making written death threats.

Volusia County Schools said in a joint statement with the sheriff's office that “safety is the top priority” and that any potential threat will be thoroughly investigated.

“Students or individuals responsible for making threats or spreading false information will face serious consequences, including school-level disciplinary action such as suspension or expulsion, and possible legal action, including arrest,” the statement said. “We need the continued support of our parents and community members to make your children aware of the seriousness of these offenses.”