Lee County 11th grader arrested for threatening mass shooting

A 16-year-old Lee County student was arrested on accusations she made threats on social media of a mass shooting targeting East Lee County High School.

“I have zero tolerance for any threats of violence in our schools,” said Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “All threats will be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible for making the threats will be arrested.”

Detectives arrested the 11th grader for the felony charge of making a written threat to kill and conduct a mass shooting. WINK News will not identify her because she is a minor. The school district said the student does not attend East Lee County High.

Parents say they are glad someone was arrested for the threats but they’re still uneasy.

“It’s just disheartening to hear that that happens and to know that it happened at my daughter’s school,” said Rachelle Secada. “I want her to be safe.”

Rich Kolko, WINK News safety and security specialist, said these threats can’t be taken lightly, no matter the age of the person making the threats.

“Somebody who is typically making these threats isn’t thinking that carefully when they get to that point, and they often are using their own computer, their own phone, some method of technology that makes it available for law enforcement to track down who actually did this.”

Parents are relieved to know someone who saw the threats came forward, potentially preventing a mass shooting and massive heartbreak.

“People make these threats and they … they actually do it,” Secada said. “These are our kids.”

“If you are capable of saying something, you are capable of doing it,” said Arturo Secada.