An 18-year-old high school student was apprehended by Coral Springs police back in May for making threats of a school shooting and sharing the message on social media. The incident led to a wave of anxiety not only across Florida but also throughout the entire country. The offender was identified as Catrina Petit, an 18-year-old student.
What’s even worse is that the post managed to make its way to parents and students in other states like North Carolina, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Utah, Minnesota, Arkansas, and other locations. The ripple effect extended to multiple counties in Florida.
Catrina Petit's School Shooting Threat Led To Her Arrest
Daytona Beach Police confirmed that the target of the threat was Mainland High School. As of May 5th, law enforcement officers were all amped up in the investigation. To enhance security measures, the department declared that they have increased officer presence around the school premises and campus, ensuring the safety of both students and staff.
Quickly after the message went viral, Catrina Petit, a student at J.P. Taravella High School, was taken into custody by the Coral Springs Police Department. She faced charges for "multiple felonies," much lighter charges than what her threats could pose. Authorities revealed that Catrina Petit had allegedly sent the threat under false pretenses using her friend’s login information and device.
In response to the incident, Broward County Public Schools conveyed on its Facebook page that the student, Catrina Petit, had confessed to making the threat, citing that she intended it "as a joke." In Catrina Petit’s mugshot, she appears as a young black girl.
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The dumb prank triggered widespread alarm among parents and students across the state on May 5th, prompting both police and schools to issue statements debunking the credibility of the viral, fake online threats.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office addressed: "A school shooting threat has been circulating nationwide on Snapchat today. While it's a hoax, please be aware that law enforcement and school authorities are treating every potential threat with utmost seriousness. Increased patrols around school premises will be maintained until the school year concludes."
The false threats posted by Catrina Petit read, "MARK THE DATE 5/5/23 FRIDAY I WILL MAKE HISTORY AS THE TOP SCHOOL SLAUGHTER," It triggered widespread panic in schools across numerous Florida counties, including Volusia, and reverberated throughout the nation. These warnings sparked numerous comments on law enforcement's social media platforms, with several parents opting to keep their children at home in response.
Real Consequences
During the bond hearing over the weekend, Catrina Petit's sister and pastor defended her actions.
Cerena Sergena Petit, her sister, shared, "She goes to school, church, and home. And loves grocery shopping with our mom. And running errands with me, her big sister." Pastor Aurilus Desmornes from the House of Blessing added, "She is one of the most respectful, humble, polite, obedient, submissive, and thoughtful young women that I have ever met in my 30 years of ministry."
Despite the family's defenses, her bond was set at $80,000. After her arrest, she confessed to the crime. Catrina Petit faced charges of making a false report concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner, cyberstalking, and culpable negligence.
Viral Threats At Mainland High School Detailed
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Catrina Petit, hailing from Tamarac, accessed two different school computers not assigned to her to craft the menacing messages, an arrest report revealed. Following testimonies from witnesses that highlighted Catrina Petit's access to these computers during class, police officers went to her residence for a search.
After being questioned by the authorities, Catrina Petit confessed to sending the threats. When asked about her motivations, she responded, "I don’t know, I’m just a very dumb person sometimes." She continued, "Sometimes I do stuff without reasoning."
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According to the BSO, 18-year-old Catrina Petit was released and transferred to another facility.
Police shared that Catrina Petit employed the names and passwords of two other students to access the school's internal Canvas system and sent threatening emails to several teachers. School board IT pinpointed the laptops used for the emails and identified the students who accessed them. These students were questioned and cleared.
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Witnesses: Catrina Petit Used Two Different Laptops For Her Threats
A student witness recalled seeing someone in a gray hooded sweatshirt approaching the laptop docking station twice. According to a witness, Catrina Petit took a laptop from the docking station, used it for five to ten minutes, and then returned it. She repeated this with a second laptop. She returned to her seat without a laptop. When asked about her appearance, the instructor mentioned a gray hooded sweatshirt.
Initially, Catrina Petit denied using a laptop, but she later confessed to sending the emails. She explained that she knew the default passwords of the students, as they hadn't changed them. The text of the emails was eventually shared online, causing panic in other school districts, including Miami-Dade.
Conclusion
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Catrina Petit faced eight charges, including three counts of intimidation to send a threat to kill or injure and one count of a false report of a weapon of mass destruction. Coral Springs Police Captain Gerald Irwin underscored the severity of such actions, emphasizing that even though some juveniles may consider these actions jokes, they are taken very seriously. Irwin urged parents to discuss the seriousness of such threats with their children due to the zero-tolerance stance on such behavior. This horrifying case serves as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of social media communications in our society.