2 Florida students accused of school threats blamed them on bullying, deputies say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Two Florida teenagers – a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old – were arrested Friday after allegedly making separate threats towards their schools, according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office.

Both students attend schools with Volusia County Schools. FOX 35 is not naming the students nor showing their faces due to their ages.

VSO: Student wrote threat on school laptop

Volusia County detectives said a 15-year-old Deltona High School student typed a threat on his school-issued laptop and threatened to bring a gun to school and to shoot another student.

That threat triggered a Gaggle alert and immediately notified the school resource deputy.

The 15-year-old was detained before boarding the bus home.

Officials said the student admitted to writing the threat. He told detectives that he was upset that he was being picked on.

VSO: Middle school student drew AR-15-style doodle

VSO said a 13-year-old student at River Springs Middle School drew a picture depicting an AR-15-style rifle with a date, time, and the phrase: "[expletive] my school."

According to officials, the student told investigators he had been bullied but had not reported it. He said he was trying to handle the situation on his own.

The charges

Both students were handcuffed and transported to the Volusia Family Resource Center to be booked and processed. They will be charged with second-degree felony charges, VSO said.

"Bullying is a serious problem, but threats can’t be the answer. Parents, please talk to your kids about both of these issues," VSO said.

Video showing the students in handcuffs and being walked into the processing center – traditionally referred to as a "perp" walk – was posted to VSO's Facebook page. Here is the law several sheriff's offices cite, allowing them to release the name and photo of juvenile offenders.

This follows a vow Sheriff Chitwood made a year ago after several Volusia County schools experienced hoax threats at the end of the school year, requiring hours of law enforcement resources to investigate them.

Stop bullying: Resources and tips

Visit www.stopbullying.gov for resources, tips, and warning signs of bullying.