Boy Falsely Reports Mass Shooting To Skip School

(StraightNews.org) – An 11-year-old boy has been arrested for making a false 911 distress call about a school shooter, prompting a law enforcement response and the evacuation of Horizon Academy in Florida.

The incident occurred when a distress call was placed to the Marion County Sheriff’s Department at 9:39 a.m.

Following a thorough search, authorities confirmed in a Facebook post on Thursday that no armed person was on the school’s premises, and they found no injured individuals or weapons in the vicinity.

According to the sheriff’s office, an investigation revealed that the student made the call with the intention of leaving school and getting home early. Sheriff Billy Woods expressed concern, stating that the boy’s stunt had endangered the lives of others. Whether the call was meant as a joke or an attempt to leave school, Sheriff Woods emphasized that the law has zero tolerance for such acts.

In the 911 call audio, the boy informed the dispatcher that he needed help, stating, “There’s a shooter walking through the hallway.” He provided the school’s name and urgently said, “I’m in building two.” When the dispatcher requested more details, he quickly added, “He’s coming. He’s coming,” and disconnected the call.

In response, the sheriff’s office dispatched all available units to the school. Upon arrival, the school resource officer initiated a lockdown as a precaution despite not having received any information about a shooter in the building. According to the agency, the school suspended all activities during the search, and both students and staff were terrified.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office announced that the minor is being charged with making a false report of a mass shooting, using a two-way communication device for a felony, disrupting a school function, and misusing a 911 emergency system.

The sheriff clarified that, by law, individuals making false alarms of this magnitude must pay restitution for the cost of the law enforcement response. He explained, “In this case, the restitution will amount to hundreds of man-hours. This young man will need to mow many lawns to cover that bill.”