A 10-year-old boy has been arrested in Florida after he allegedly threatened to carry out a mass shooting.
Police announced that the elementary school student had been charged after they found out he had sent a suspicious message on Saturday.
Per Sky News, local threat enforcement was then notified and prompted to begin an investigation which has culminated in the boy's arrest.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Lee County Sheriff's Office in Fort Myers explained how they had first looked into the potential incident when they saw a "threatening text message".
"On Saturday, May 28, 2022, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office learned of a threatening text message sent by a fifth-grade student at Patriot Elementary School in Cape Coral," the Facebook post read.
"The School Threat Enforcement Team was immediately notified and began analytical research. Due to the nature of the incident, the Youth Services Criminal Investigations Division assumed the case," the Sheriff's office continued.
They added that "Detectives interviewed the suspect," then "developed probable cause for his arrest." The fifth-grader was charged with "Making a Written Threat to Conduct a Mass Shooting."
As well as their statement, Lee County police also released a video clip of the boy being taken away by officers. Meanwhile, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno called the young suspect's alleged actions "sickening".
"This student's behavior is sickening, especially after the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas," he said.
"Making sure our children are safe is paramount. We will have law and order in our schools! My team didn't hesitate one second… not one second, to investigate this threat," the Sheriff added.
He went on to say that the timing of the alleged threat was particularly concerning considering the devastating school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead in Texas last week.
"Right now is not the time to act like a little delinquent. It's not funny. This child made a fake threat, and now he's experiencing real consequences," he said.
Last Tuesday, 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos stormed Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, with a semi-automatic rifle. He barricaded himself inside and opened fire on a fourth-grade classroom.
After carrying out the massacre, Ramos was shot dead by officers when they arrived on the scene
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