TAMPA, Fla. — Law enforcement officials are warning students and pranksters of the consequences they'll face for reporting a bogus threat to a school.
- Tampa police warning those who make fake threats against schools
- Hillsborough County has received 23 fake threats since school started
“We are taking these comments seriously,” said Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan. “And if we develop what they call ‘probable cause,’ they will be arrested.”
This comes after investigators cited a large number of fake school threats within Hillsborough County, just three weeks into the school year.
Superintendent Jeff Eakins said the district received 23 bogus school-based threats since classes began on August 12. That doesn’t include 14 fake reports that came in through the Fortify Florida App, an anonymous tip line created in the wake of the Parkland shootings.
“We have a clear message to the people posting these threats,” said Eakins. “It's not a joke and there are serious consequences.”
Emiliano Gallardo, a parent whose child attends Mitchell Elementary on South Bungalow Park Avenue in Tampa, supports the crackdown.
“It’s not fun to be saying things and scaring people,” said Gallardo. “It's not right.”
Only one arrest was made in connection with a fake school threat, investigators said.