PUNTA GORDA, Fla. -- A Charlotte County middle school student was taken into custody at a bus stop Friday morning, after reports of a 'concerning' online post being made.
According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, the student attends Punta Gorda Middle School, prompting the school to lock down.
The sheriff's office and Punta Gorda Police Department were notified around 7:00 a.m. of the social media post.
The student was intercepted at the bus stop and taken into custody for further questioning.
No direct threats were made to the school or any students. Detectives later found the threat unfounded.
In fact, the Charlotte County School district said the perceived threat was a misunderstanding over two unrelated social media posts. "It was a photo of a young man that was taken at the shooting range when he was there with adults, and then [later] he made another post 'Friday is going to be epic at Punta Gorda Middle School," said Mike Riley, CCSD's spokesman. "Friday is the last day of school, he's an 8th grader, and he's going to high school next year."
An increased law enforcement presence was seen at the school throughout the day to ensure students were not alarmed by any rumors related to the social media post.
For an update, the detectives have determined that the perceived threat was unfounded. They are working with the student's parents and the school to ensure that this does not occur with the student again.
— Charlotte Sheriff (@CCSOFLSheriff) May 25, 2018
