UFPD arrests 14-year-old for threatening to commit mass shooting at P.K. Yonge

A 14-year-old student at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School was taken into custody by the University of Florida police (UFPD) following a text message he sent threatening to carry out a school shooting. Following his arrest on Sunday, the student faced one count of written threats to carry out a mass shooting, a felonies in the state of Florida. Because of his age, UFPD is charging him as a child and hiding his name.

At approximately 11 p.m. on Saturday, the teenager texted someone. Overnight, UFPD became aware of the occurrence. “With the rise in these threats and acts nationwide, this is one of those matters where we must act swiftly,” interim UFPD chief Bart Knowles stated. “I appreciate how quickly our officers have worked to keep our campuses safe at all times.”

This 14-year-old was brought on Sunday to the Alachua Regional Juvenile Detention Center. Director and superintendent of P.K. Yonge, Brian K. Marchman, stated, “Maintaining the safety of our school community is our utmost priority.” “Any threat to safety is taken seriously, and we are fully assisting law enforcement in their investigation.”