Oliver Manik: Marjory Stoneman Douglas student arrested for 'school shooting' threat
PARKLAND, FLORIDA: A teen student was arrested after threatening to carry out a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in Broward County, Florida. The school had already witnessed 17 people being killed in an earlier shooting incident in 2018.
Oliver Manik, 17, who attends Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) in Broward County, was taken into custody after he made the social media threat and was reported to the authorities, a school spokesperson said. "I feel like school shooting tomorrow," the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) quoted Manik as saying. "When I sneeze, it's a signal go to the bathroom. Okay? And I hope y'all aren't snitches."
RELATED ARTICLES
BSO spokeswoman Claudinne Caro said students reported the threat to the department at 11 am local time on Wednesday, December 1, before detectives tracked Manik's whereabouts and promptly arrested him the following day. This came less than two months after Nikolas Cruz, who fatally shot 14 students and three teachers at the high school with an AR-15 style rifle in February 2018, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and attempted murder. Cruz, now 23, is awaiting sentencing in the state which still carries the death penalty, the Daily Mail reported.
Michelle Kefford, the principal of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, delivered a message to parents Thursday morning, December 2, via a recorded message to notify them of the threat and that an arrest had been made. "This morning, we became aware of a threatening message posted on social media regarding our school. The Broward Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with Broward County Public Schools Special Investigative Unit, immediately investigated the threat and made an arrest," she said. "I want to thank everyone for their roles in safely resolving this situation. I also want to remind all students and families how seriously any and all threats are taken. Parents, please speak with your children to remind them that any threat – even if they think it is a joke – will result in serious consequences. In Florida, a threat made against a school is a second-degree felony. Students also face school disciplinary measures as outlined in the Code Book for Student Conduct, including expulsion." She added, "School safety is all of our responsibility. If you see something – say something. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at 754 322 2150."
In the Nikolas Cruz trial, the Broward State's Attorney Office said in court documents that Cruz had a history of mental health and behavioral issues when he carried out the "premeditated" shootout. At a plea hearing in October this year, Cruz told the judge he was suffering from "anxiety" which was "normal under the circumstances." Addressing Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, Cruz said he understood that he would not be allowed to appeal his sentence, and that in the best-case scenario he would spend life in prison or be sentenced to death. The tragedy, which befell on February 14, 2018, claimed the lives of 14 students, three staff members, and left 17 others injured.