14-year-old charged with threatening a mass shooting at Lincoln Middle School
Staff report based on Alachua County Sheriff’s Office social media post
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jaden Symonette, 14, was charged with making a threat to conduct a mass shooting after Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO) investigated a tip about an Instagram post threatening a school shooting at Lincoln Middle School.
ASO reported that the suspect and Lincoln Middle School student, 14-year-old Jaden Symonette, published the message, which included a threat to shoot multiple students in retaliation for a previous physical altercation. Symonette’s social media handle also matched the post’s handle.
Symonette reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he wrote the post, but he said he deleted it after two or three minutes. He also said he was not involved in any fights at school, but he was being bothered by other kids.
Keep real close tabs on this one. Feigned excuses do not amount to reality. And the parents should have him evaluated immediately.
I’m glad the news media can publish their names. So future Google searchers will be forewarned when crossing paths with these bad seeds and black sheep…
Still not a fan of publishing the names at this age. Kids say all sorts of stupid stuff, not realizing the possible lifetime consequences.
This is very inappropriate. A kid at Westwood Elementary brought a gun to school and showed his friends just two months ago. But his name wasn’t shared. If this kid is getting bullied already, this is gonna make it worse for him because now his bullies are going to know how to really hurt him. This is going to put a label on someone who obviously has no one to really talk to.