Kanapaha Middle School student arrested for mass shooting threat
Press release from Alachua County Sheriff’s Office
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Last week there was a potential threat to schools circulating on social media, and it was proven to be a hoax by law enforcement. Since this past Friday, our Juvenile Relations Bureau informed us that there were more than 20 tips regarding threats to schools. Many of them were electronic in nature and came from outside our area. Our deputies take each one seriously, fully investigating them to ensure the safety of everyone on campus.
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 11-year-old Kanapaha Middle School (KMS) student Darium Lizarazo (DOB 12/3/12) sent several messages to another student, stating, “I will go to your school tomorrow Kanapaha Middle School… There is going to be a shootout.” The School Resource Deputy and school staff were made aware of the threat and were informed that the suspect was not on campus. Deputies responded to the suspect’s residence and made contact with him in person. The suspect admitted he sent the message and said it was a joke. Lizarazo was arrested and charged with written threats to do harm, Florida Statute 836.10.
The reporting of a mass shooting at the KMS campus caused a very large disruption for the school, involving nearly all administrators and deans, the School Resource Deputy, and ASO Patrol units for multiple hours. Threats like this are a nationwide epidemic, not only taxing our resources but also instigating fear while disrupting our youths’ learning. We take a zero-tolerance stance as it pertains to student, faculty, and staff well-being. We also continue to challenge parents to keep up with their kids’ electronic activities and notify law enforcement of any suspicious activity and threats.
SBAC (Certain, Rockwell, and McGraw) adopted Student Discipline Response by Level, Option 1 at their 6 August 24 meeting.
Link to the meeting:
https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/alaco/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=D7AK6K505A94
At that meeting, Ms. Certain said, “she preferred Option 1 “in the sense of it being more positive and not being able to be weaponized against the students, because we do want to – you know, because the district has been implementing the restorative practices, as well as trying to be more positive – and with the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) system. And so I think Option 1 provides a pathway forward for that.”
So, SBAC, what will be the consequences for this student who was “just joking?” In accordance with the “consequences” listed for Option 1, will you recommend a timeout, a parent conference, in school detention for a partial day?
So, it is obvious that this response is due to just being ignorant as to how discipline actually work when it applies to level 1 offenses. Display some sense of simple knowledge and facts before you spew your nonsense. You are just clueless! Bless your heart…….
I’m surprised the child’s birthdate is in this sheriffs press release…
Should minors be prohibited from having access to the internet until a more appropriate age?
If people and law enforcement don’t start taking this stuff seriously, things will become out of control. Sheriff Chitwood of Volusa County started the ‘perp walk’ with one of the 11 y/o kids there. SBAC hasn’t got a plan yet. McGraw outlined the problems two years ago but it has been ignored.
From what I read on another post, if it’s a felony name dob and picture can be released. Don’t know if it is true or not.
Good. That is how it should be.
Don’t really care what alaucha county school board does what I am interested in that’s what the states attorney does. That’s a felony should be charged as one also, thank you Jennifer for putting his name in the paper. I wish we had a picture to go along with it.
More victims of mainstream media. The unwarranted focus on school shootings the last 20+ years has created a subculture for bullied runts and malcontents. Kids that would be belted by parents in better times. 🥹
I think any minor caught making these threats shoulld not be allowed to have any phones or any way to communicate on any social media until the age of 18. Also therapy to make them realize why this is not a way to entertain.
Jail works better than therapy for felons. And what he did is a felony.
“We take a zero-tolerance stance as it pertains to student, faculty, and staff well-being. We also continue to challenge parents to keep up with their kids’ electronic activities and notify law enforcement of any suspicious activity and threats.”
I guess we’ll have to wait and see if the SA’s office and judges feel the same way.
😀😀😀your right about that
The parents should be forced to pay for every second of manpower used on these investigations and sentenced to years of parenting classes, also at their expense. The kid should be permanently expelled from the Alachua County public school system.
Students should have a training every semester on these type of hoaxes and their consequences so that they understand that they will be caught and the penalties are extremely harsh.
Given his first name i’m willing to bet the baby daddy is not in the picture
Until it’s your kid!
Bad Kid = Bad Parent(s). Hold the parents responsible and put this kid in counseling. He is a product of his environment. No amount of intervention during school hours will compete with what he lives in.
Do you know this family personally
Don’t have to know the parents personally look at actions of the kid at 11 years old pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the parents
He’s only 11 guys! I agree with arrest, he needs that. I think part of his release conditions should be that he be made to speak about this incident and what he’s learned to his classmates, maybe seeing/hearing what he’s been through will determine them from suit. Parents/Adults can’t get through to kids like kids can.
He committed a felony. He needs to pay the consequences. If more juvenile felons were punished instead of coddled, we would not have these problems.