Crestview student faces felony charge over alleged mass shooting threat

CRESTVIEW, Fla. — A 13-year-old Okaloosa Online student has been charged with making an electronic threat of a mass shooting or terrorist act, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) has announced.

The OCSO said the girl, a Crestview resident, was taken into custody on December 2 after the sheriff’s office received a report from the FBI regarding a video in which she allegedly brandished a handgun during a FaceTime call, pointed it at the screen, and put it in her mouth.

She reportedly told the individual on the call about a purported plan to conduct a mass shooting at Crestview High School in 2026.

According to the sheriff’s office, the girl admitted to making the threat and reportedly described it as a “joke.” She also acknowledged sending photos of the firearm to friends, deputies said.

During a search of her room, deputies reportedly found handmade drawings with “concerning messages.” A review of her phone revealed multiple photos of semi-automatic weapons and videos depicting mass shootings, according to the OCSO.

Making a written or electronic threat of a mass shooting or terrorist act is a second-degree felony in Florida. Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said the agency enforces a zero-tolerance policy for school violence threats and encouraged individuals to report any such threats through Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers.

Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers underscored the seriousness of the matter in a statement.

“Our highest priority is the safety and security of our students, staff, and school communities,” Mr. Chambers said.

“The Okaloosa County School District enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy for any threats against our schools—whether real, false, or perceived. Such actions are treated with the utmost seriousness, as they compromise the safety and well-being of everyone in our school environments.”

The superintendent also urged parents to have open conversations with their children about the gravity of making threats and the consequences that follow.