An 18-year-old man arrested for threatening a mass shooting
Catherine Hawley reports
TAMPA, Florida – The FBI says fraud threats to schools and other public places are often on the rise after mass shootings. Local law enforcement treats these alleged jokes as real threats and has serious consequences.
Corey Anderson was picked up from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office at his home in Lutz on Sunday. Detectives said they had received information that the 18-year-old had posted a photo of himself with what appeared to be a pistol, rifle and tactical vest. The photo read, “Hey, Siri, directions to the nearest school.”
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Investigators said the firearms turned out to be air-soft weapons. Still, Anderson faces a felony charge of writing threatening to carry out a mass shooting.
“One mistake can affect your whole life, so think before you make a threat,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister at the PSA Threat School, published in 2020.
A 2018 law amended the state statute by making it a second-degree crime to write or compile a threat of mass shooting or a terrorist act and to publish or transmit that threat for others to see.
“It doesn’t matter if someone says I was joking, it doesn’t matter what their intent is,” Pasco County Sheriff Chris Noco said in 2019. “When you did, when you posted it there on social media, you committed this crime.”
It is against the law to send a threatening message on social media such as a status update, live message, post or story, such as a video, text message or even through game chats or anonymous forums. These threats of online violence come with serious consequences, even if they turn out to be false alarms.
“Most kids nowadays use social media, so they use Snapchat, they use Instagram, they use Facebook,” said St. Petersburg Police Lt. Carl Watts in 2018. “And sometimes kids post things, and they think it’s a joke.” but we don’t take it as a joke, we take it very seriously. “
Anyone convicted of written threats faces up to 15 years in prison or probation and a fine of up to $ 10,000.
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