FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. A 13-year-old boy was arrested after investigators say he threatened to kill another teenager and sent photographs of a handgun through Instagram messages, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies began investigating the case on July 7 after the victim’s mother called 911 to report the threats.
According to the sheriff’s office, the 13-year-old victim received several Instagram messages from the suspect earlier that day. The messages included a photograph of the suspect holding a handgun and a message stating, “Tn 8:00 pm we be there we alr got lo,” which investigators said translates to, “Tonight 8:00 p.m. we be there we already got location.”
The victim told deputies he believed the suspect intended to come to his home and shoot him at 8 p.m. that evening.
During the investigation, the suspect told deputies that he and the victim had previously been friends but had a falling out. He also admitted messaging the victim and said the two had planned to fight that day.
Sheriff Rick Staly said the agency treats every threat involving violence as a serious matter.
“Threats are no joke, and we take every threat seriously. This teen had already made plans to fight the victim, and he made it clear it wasn’t going to be a fistfight,” Staly said. “I want to remind parents to stay engaged in what their kids are doing online and who they’re talking to. Teach them the proper way of handling disagreements and be the Sheriff of your home.”
Deputies arrested the juvenile and transported him to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. He was later transferred to the custody of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.