Citing a zero-tolerance policy for school-related threats of violence, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office posted the mugshot of an 11-year-old boy who was arrested for claiming there was a bomb on his school bus Wednesday afternoon.
The department said he caused a panic after yelling that there was an explosive on the vehicle, prompting the driver to alert his depot.
Staffers there called the Sheriff’s Office, triggering a “large response” to the bus on West River Road and US 17 North.
After an investigation, the student was charged with false reporting of a weapon of mass destruction, a second-degree felony.
He was transported to Putnam County Jail before being transferred to a juvenile facility, where he was held without bond as of Wednesday night.
“There is zero tolerance when it comes to the safety of our students, faculty, and staff in our schools,” Sheriff H.D. ‘Gator’ DeLoach said in a statement. “These actions are not funny and cause undue stress and panic for our children. I will continue to pursue and arrest any student or adult who makes these types of threats. If there is an underlying cause to this young man’s behavior, I hope he gets the help he needs.”
The department posted the boy’s picture on its Facebook page, which boasts 78,000 followers.
The post drew more than 1,000 comments as of Wednesday morning, with many respondents debating the ethics of publicizing the case and the boy’s face.
Noting the rise in violent school-related incidents in recent years, one faction backed the department’s approach. Posting the picture, they argued, serves as a deterrent for other students considering similar acts.
“Thank God for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office for keeping our community safe from these young thugs,” one person wrote.
“I bet that’s a lesson he’ll never forget,” another stated.
“Some are questioning why the child’s picture is being shared here,” another response read. “It should be shared. We are way past innocent pranks by ‘innocent children.’ Thank you, Sheriff, for standing firm on your zero-tolerance policy.”
Several others stressed that the nation’s recent history of school violence necessitates a firm position.
“Accountability,” one person wrote. “I’m here for it.”
But others called the move draconian, citing the boy’s age and the potential impact on his future.
“Why are you posting a child’s photo on Facebook?” one objector wrote. “I get that he made a mistake, but this is crazy.”
Some respondents speculated that the boy had a troubled background and needed counseling rather than punishment, given his age.
“Children don’t do things like this and behave this way unless the adults around them are failing them,” one wrote. “11 years old. He is still a little boy.”
Some locals said they weren’t opposed to the arrest, but believed the matter should not have been publicized.
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One Response
This is most likely just a dumb prank by a very immature boy who doesn’t know how this is going to send adults over the edge. A felony for that is asinine and certainly shouldn’t be published in the media. Take him off the bus for a long while and educate him.