Volusia County student accused of school threat

LAKE MARY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - A teenager in Volusia County is charged with a felony, after deputies say he posted on a threat on a video game chat platform.

Authorities say the 15-year-old Holly Hill boy threatened to bring a gun to Sea Breeze High School and kill at least seven people. When they showed up to arrest the boy, his mother insisted it was all just a big joke. 

"But it's just a comment. How is there an arrest?" she is heard asking on body camera video released by the Sheriff's Office. 

"There is a Florida state statue that says you cannot make a written threat to cause a shooting or act or kill," a deputy replies.  

The boy's comment was reported to the FBI, which was able to track down the IP address from where he allegedly posted the threat.

"That was probably the first we've seen this come through a gaming thing, coming through a gaming thing that was a first for us," explained Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. 

Sheriff Chitwood said that recent local threats, coming just weeks after two deadly mass shootings in Ohio and Texas, have kept law enforcement vigilant.

"The good thing that's come out of it is it's made law enforcement laser focused," he added.

Video of the mother speaking with deputies has been posted onto the Volusia County Sheriff's Offiec Facebook.