Riverview High student arrested for social media threat

A 15-year-old Riverview High School student was arrested Wednesday in connection with a social media threat.  

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office investigated the possible threat Tuesday night, after a report that a student posted something suspicious to Snapchat — a social media platform from which everything disappears within seconds or within a day. The photo depicted an apparent weapon and a message that said “School gunna be lit tomorrow.” 

Deputies who responded to the student's home determined that it was an Airsoft pellet gun, not a firearm. There was an extra police presence at the Riverview High campus Wednesday, while deputies investigated. 

The student was charged with a single count of threats to kill or do bodily injury, a felony. 

“This incident should serve as a strong reminder to young people that threats, no matter how they are delivered, are taken seriously by law enforcement,” Sheriff Tom Knight said in a statement. “Parents should continue to teach their children how to responsibly use social media and as always, if they see or hear something suspicious, report it immediately.”

This is the second gun-related incident at Riverview High School in two weeks. On Oct. 20, a 17-year-old student was arrested after showing students on a bus a gun and several bullets, then leaving the Riverview High campus. While deputies searched for the student, seven schools were locked down.