Two Girls Charged with Threatening Violence at Schools using Instagram Accounts

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By: Sharon Aron Baron

Two female students from different Coral Springs schools were taken into custody due to violent threats made using Instagram accounts.

Coral Glades High School

The first incident happened at Coral Glades High School after several parents contacted Coral Springs Police on Thursday and told them someone on Instagram was posting threats to the school. The account used the username as “CGHSWAR and made threats on at least four different posts that on October 10 at 11:55 a.m., fires would be lit at the school and shootouts would occur. The user encouraged students to pull fire alarms and create a distraction. They stated that the school would be on “lockdown.”

“Good night everyone. Remember tune in tomorrow at 11:55 a.m. school shoot out, fights, and fires will be lit! Don’t believe me just watch! Can’t wait” Another post stated “We burning Glades down! We shooting Glades high up tomorrow October 10 at 11:55 a.m. Fires fights everything!!!!! Be ready!”

Because of of threats earlier this week at JP Taravella High School where on more than one occasion false fire alarms were activated at the school, two fires were intentionally set, and a large fight occurred, Coral Springs Police took action immediately and completed an emergency request for information regarding the Instagram username “CGHSWAR.” A record check revealed that a student, whose name is being withheld because she is a juvenile, registered that account using her email address.

When police contacted the juvenile at Coral Glades High School, she said that she allowed a friend, who she would not name, to open an Instagram account using her email address and stated that her friend was being bullied at school and wanted to open the account to scare everyone. She said the posts were only a joke. But maintained she had access to the account.

The student provided police with the password, which was her mother’s first name, on the account so that it could be shut down for everyone’s safety. Her mother, who was contacted by police, was upset. She told police that she was shown the posts on Thursday night by her daughter and was unaware that she was involved with the postings.

From Instagram

The juvenile was transported to Coral Springs Police and then to Juvenile Assessment Center.

Sawgrass Springs Middle School

The second incident happened at Sawgrass Springs Middle School where parents reported two threatening messages posted on Instagram.

The postings were made on Thursday by an Instagram using the name “SSMSWAR.”

“I’m a white boy, I’ve been bullied a lot N I’m posting on Instagram that PPL don’t go to school TMR BC I”m going to shoot up the school with and AK47…”

The second message stated the various teacher’s rooms that would be visited.

The juvenile was discovered to be a 12 year-old who confessed that she did not have any intent to harm anyone and did not own or have access to a firearm. She told police that she wrote the posts with the intention of getting the school “on the news again.”

The 12 year-old, wearing a Little Mermaid t-shirt, was taken into custody.

Many parents at Sawgrasss Middle School kept their children home from school on Friday and over 80 students were removed early from school by their parents after learning of the Instagram posts.

Coral Springs Police Lt Brad McKeone credits parents for making them aware of the online threats. “We were definitely getting a lot of calls from parents. It’s part of the make a call, make a difference.”

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.