TAMPA, Fla. — Two Tampa Bay-area students are facing charges after both made online school threats to use a weapon on Tuesday, according to authorities.
In Pinellas County, deputies say they arrested an 11-year-old at Lakeside Christian School in Clearwater after the student sent a threatening text message to other students back on Aug. 15. The message reportedly read, "ONG I MIGHT SHOOT UP DA SCHOOL, JS WATCH, NOVEMBER 4."
The 11-year-old is charged with one count of written threats to kill or conduct a mass shooting.
In Hillsborough County, the sheriff's office says a 13-year-old student from Horizon Charter School of Tampa was arrested for threatening to use a weapon at school on his Snapchat, according to a post from the agency on X.
The post includes a photo of the message that says, "Which one should I use in school," followed by a photo showing multiple different weapons.
HCSO says the teen's parents own firearms within a safe at their home.
The 13-year-old is charged with written or electronic threat to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
10 Tampa Bay is not identifying either student due to their age.