A Florida man posted pictures of himself suggesting he was heavily armed and heading to the “nearest school,” according to authorities over the weekend.
Corey Anderson, 18, was arrested Sunday at a Lutz home after authorities received a warning earlier that day that he had made the threat online while posting photos of himself with what appeared to be a rifle. , a tactical-style pistol and vest, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The photo was accompanied by a caption that read, “Hello Siri, directions to the nearest school,” authorities said.
Subsequent investigation determined that the pistol and rifle were airsoft pistols, firing pellets instead of bullets.
“This kind of threat is unacceptable,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement on Sunday. “This man intentionally instilled fear in our community as a sick joke, but keep in mind that this is not a matter of laughter.”
Deputies will prosecute anyone who makes threats at school, Chronister said.
“Protecting students is our top priority,” the sheriff said. “We take school threats very seriously. If you see anything suspicious, please contact us immediately.”
Anderson de Lutz was accused of threatening to carry out a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. His bail was set at $ 7,500. Anderson was no longer listed as an early Monday detainee, according to prison records. It is unclear whether he has hired a lawyer.
Anderson was arrested a day after a 10-year-old Florida boy allegedly threatened with text messages with a mass shooting at his school. The Post is named after the fifth grade student at Cape Coral Patriot Elementary School because he is a minor.
“This student’s behavior is disgusting, especially after the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement about the boy. “Making sure our children are safe is paramount.”
The threats came just days after a gunman stormed Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, with a pair of AR-15-style rifles and killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers on Tuesday. The massacre was the deadliest school shooting since 26 people, including 20 students, were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012.
President Biden wept privately on Sunday with the families of Uvalde’s victims as he pledged to take action amid cries of “do something” by a crowd of about 100 people as he left a church. .
“To all those affected by the horrific elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: it hurts us with you,” Biden tweeted Sunday. “We pray with you. We are with you. And we are committed to turning this pain into action.”
With post cables