Bradenton Police To Increase Patrols At Schools In Wake Of Threat

BRADENTON, FL – Bradenton Police detectives are working with the State Attorney’s Office to determine what, if any charges, an individual who posted a threatening message on the social media site, Snapchat.

The item was posted from a car parked near Manatee High School Wednesday, Feb. 21, and brought to the attention of the high school’s resource officers.

Due to the threatening nature of the post, school officials decided to place the high school on a “shelter in place” status. Eventually, students were able to move around the school but were not permitted to enter or leave the campus until dismissal at 2:05 p.m. No violence took place on the school campus.

This is the third time since the Feb. 14 shootings at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School that Manatee High School has received a threat prompting police involvement.

Police have arrested a 15-year-old Manatee High School student for writing a note that threatened to kill or do bodily injury to students at the school. The note was found on the school grounds Tuesday, Feb. 20. The freshman has been charged with a second-degree felony.

Another note found by a student on the Manatee High School campus Feb. 15 indicated that a shooting would take place at the school on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 12:15 p.m.

Bradenton Police are still trying to find the source of that threat.

Bradenton Police are also investigating a threat written on the wall of the girls' bathroom at Southeast High School Wednesday, Feb. 21, that resulted in a schoolwide lockdown for several hours. The note was found by a student at 8:35 a.m.

In the meantime, Bradenton Police will increase patrols around Manatee and Southeast high schools and other Bradenton schools on Thursday, Feb. 22.

Since the Parkland shootings, three other Manatee County students have been charged with felonies in connection with social media threats against Braden River Middle School and Team Success Charter School, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. A 14-year-old boy was charged regarding the middle school threat while two 11-year-old girls were charged with the Team Success threat.

Anyone with information on today's threats at Manatee and Southeast high schools should contact Detective Greg Price at (941) 932-9355 or Detective Dennis French at (941) 932- 9329.

Image via Erika Morua-Cabrales

Southeast High School students were dismissed without incident after a threatening note on the bathroom wall forced a school lockdown Wednesday.