FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) announced a 15-year-old Fort Walton Beach area resident has been arrested in connection with alleged threats to carry out a school shooting involving Choctawhatchee High School.
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The OCSO said the teen is charged with issuing a written or electronic threat to commit a mass shooting and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony. Choctawhatchee High School officials reportedly became aware of the threats on January 16 and immediately notified law enforcement while taking additional safety actions.
According to the OCSO, witnesses told investigators the teen is said to have made increasingly specific threats between December 2025 and January 2026. Investigators reportedly found no weapons during the investigation.
The sheriff’s office said a forensic analysis of the teen’s phone allegedly revealed a document titled “List 2026,” which reportedly contained the names of students who attend or have attended Choctawhatchee High School.
During an interview with investigators, the teen admitted making the statements but claimed they were “jokes,” according to the OCSO.
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The OCSO announced the teen was taken into custody at Okaloosa Academy on February 9 and transported to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility near Crestview.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said threats of violence, whether made online or in person, are taken seriously because they create fear, disrupt schools, and can lead to serious criminal consequences. He also praised the students who reported the threats, saying their actions may have prevented a dangerous situation.
“I commend those who reported the threats. Their willingness to speak up may have prevented a dangerous situation.”
Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers said student and staff safety remains the district’s highest priority and emphasized that threats of violence will not be tolerated. He said the situation demonstrated the importance of students reporting concerning behavior and highlighted the district’s partnership with law enforcement in responding to threats.
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“This is exactly how our safety systems are designed to work: ‘see something, say something.'”
The OCSO encourages anyone with information about threats or suspicious behavior to contact the agency at 850.651.7400 or Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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