Broward County

Teen was behind fake bomb, shooting threats at 5 Broward schools and airport, deputies say

A 16-year-old is facing charges for making false bomb and shooting threats to 911 affecting several Broward schools and Fort Lauderdale airport.
A 16-year-old is facing charges for making false bomb and shooting threats to 911 affecting several Broward schools and Fort Lauderdale airport. Miami Herald file

Less than 24 hours after several Broward County schools and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were on high alert due to false bomb and shooting threats, an arrest has been made of a teenager, deputies said.

A 16-year-old faces charges of written threats to kill, disruption of a school function and false report of a bomb or firearm, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.

This comes after a Coral Springs High School student was arrested for a false school shooting threat that caused panic throughout Broward and Miami-Dade on May 5. Police did not identify the teen.

READ MORE HERE: South Florida student arrested after school threat. She is facing multiple felonies

Around 10 a.m. Friday, the teen, who was not identified, called 911 and told an operator, “About to do a bombing at South Broward High School,” deputies said. The teen said it would happen in two hours, so the school was immediately evacuated.

Minutes later, the teen called 911 again threatening to shoot up South Broward High and Attucks Middle School. The middle school was secured in place as a result.

In the hours that followed, the teen made additional fake bomb threats for Coconut Creek High, Blanche Ely High, Coral Glades High and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport — disrupting everyday functions, deputies said.

Detectives were able to track down the threats to a teen who did not attend any of the schools. The teen was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

Devoun Cetoute
Miami Herald
Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office.
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