Florida fifth grader arrested, charged with threatening a mass taking pictures, police say

A fifth grade student in Florida was arrested over the weekend and charged with sending a textual content message threatening to carry out a mass taking pictures, authorities mentioned.

In an announcement Saturday, the Lee County Sheriff’s Workplace stated it had realized earlier that day of a "threatening text message" despatched by a scholar at an elementary faculty.

It mentioned its local college menace enforcement staff was instantly notified and started investigating. The ten-year-old boy was interviewed and charged later with "making a written risk to conduct a mass shooting," the sheriff's workplace said.

In video shared by authorities, the boy may be seen being led into a police vehicle.

“This pupil’s behavior is sickening, particularly after the current tragedy in Uvalde, Texas,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno stated in a statement, noting that the risk got here just days after the lethal school taking pictures at Robb Elementary School left 19 students and two teachers useless.

“Proper now isn't the time to act like slightly delinquent. It’s not funny,” he mentioned. “This youngster made a fake threat, and now he’s experiencing real consequences.”

Marceno stated his group “didn’t hesitate one second...NOT ONE SECOND,” to research the incident.

The comment came as authorities in Uvalde face mounting criticism over their response to the May 24 college shooting after it came to light that they waited roughly an hour for backup as a substitute of immediately moving in on the gunman.

Chantal Da Silva is a breaking information editor for NBC News Digital based in London.