OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is reminding parents and students about the serious consequences of bringing weapons to school after two separate incidents involving knives were reported at local campuses within the past week.
According to the sheriff’s office, both incidents were quickly addressed thanks to students reporting the situations to school officials, allowing authorities to intervene before any harm occurred.
The first incident took place on March 5 at Discovery Intermediate School, where a student reported seeing a 14-year-old male with a knife in his backpack. The report was made to the assistant principal, who immediately notified the campus School Resource Officer.
The deputy and school administrator secured a kitchen knife from the student’s backpack and interviewed the suspect. Authorities say the student admitted to bringing the knife onto campus and was arrested. He was charged with the felony offense of possession of a weapon on school property.
A second incident occurred Monday at Tohopekaliga High School, where deputies say a 15-year-old male made a threat against a female student. During the investigation, a pocketknife was found inside the suspect’s backpack.
The School Resource Officer assigned to the campus interviewed both the suspect and the female student. Following the investigation, the 15-year-old was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon on school property and written or electronic threat to kill someone, both felony charges.
Officials with the sheriff’s office emphasized that both situations were identified and addressed before any violence could occur, largely due to students speaking up and alerting school staff.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is urging parents to talk with their children about school safety and remind them that bringing knives or any type of weapon onto school property is strictly prohibited and will result in arrest.
School administrators at both campuses took immediate action, and the suspects were taken into custody by the sheriff’s office School Resource Officers assigned to the schools.
