LITHIA, Fla. (WFLA) – A 15-year-old has been arrested after making a false report about a gun being on Barrington Middle School’s campus Wednesday afternoon.
After multiple interviews with students and school staff, Hillsborough County deputies learned the teen stole another student’s cellphone inside the school gymnasium. Deputies say he took the phone into the gym bathroom where he placed the hoax 911 call claiming that a friend in the bathroom had a gun.
Deputies say he hung up the phone on the 911 dispatcher as she was trying to get more information from him.
The teen discarded the phone into a toilet before leaving the bathroom, according to deputies.
His false report caused both Barrington Middle School and Stowers Elementary School being placed on lockdown.
“Causing fear and panic is not funny, and as this student will, unfortunately, learn the hard way, making such a serious false claim comes with severe consequences,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I hope that the quick actions of our deputies in responding to the potential threat and detectives who worked diligently to locate the perpetrator can provide some level of comfort to the families of Barrington Middle and Stowers Elementary Schools.”
The teenager, a student at Barrington Middle, now faces charges of tampering with physical evidence, misuse of the 911 system, disruption of a school function and petit theft.
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