POINCIANA, Fla. — A 14-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday after Polk County Sheriff's deputies say he brought a gun and ammo to his middle school.
Deputies say a student at Lake Marion Creek Middle School reported to the school's dean he heard the teen was going to "shoot up the school and shoot a teacher first."
When the student heard the teen make the remarks, deputies say he immediately asked his teacher for a pass to go to the office. Conveniently, when the student got into the hallway, the dean was there. Once the student told the dean what the other student said, deputies say the dean called a school resource deputy for assistance.
From there, the accused 14-year-old was taken from his classroom and asked if he had a weapon. The teen told the deputy a handgun was tucked into his waistband.
The deputy reportedly took the gun from the front right side of the teen's waistband. The agency says a magazine loaded with one bullet was found in the 14-year-old's pocket.
The student witness reportedly told the deputy he also heard that the 14-year-old showed a female student the gun on Monday.
Deputies say they spoke to the girl, who confirmed the 14-year-old raised his shirt and showed her the gun during fifth period on Monday after she refused to give him a fist bump or high five. She also reportedly told deputies the 14-year-old on Tuesday was playing with a bullet and told her he was going to "shoot up the school" and "nobody will make it out alive."
Deputies say they interviewed other students who told them while the 14-year-old was being "picked on" on Tuesday, he used a hand gesture as if he was holding a gun and said, "Don't come to school tomorrow." He then laughed, students reportedly told deputies.
The sheriff's office says deputies learned the teen got the gun from his parents' locked bedroom when they were out of town. The boy's grandfather was watching him and let him into the locked room, not knowing the gun was there, deputies say.
“The child who immediately reported this crime to school administrators is our hero — he heard something, and immediately said something. There is no telling what this eighth-grader might have done otherwise. This juvenile suspect is facing some serious felonies," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
The teen was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property, grand theft of a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor.
As of now, there's no indication if he will be charged as an adult, according to the sheriff. The investigation is ongoing.
"No one was shot, no one was injured and now [the student] is locked up in juvenile [detention] while we deal with this case," Judd said at a news conference Thursday. "No pun intended, we dodged a bullet."
10 Tampa Bay is not identifying the teen because he is a minor.
