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Corey Anderson, an 18-year old Florida resident, was detained by detectives after they acquired a tip that he had threatened a mass shooting at a nearby school via a social media post.
Detectives have discovered photos of Corey Anderson with what appear to be a rifle, a handgun and tactical-style armour. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the caption of the photo read:
“Hey Siri, directions to the nearest school.”
Corey Anderson convicted of threatening a mass school shooting while posing with weapons
According to the press release from the sheriff’s office on Sunday, May 29, Corey Anderson was caught and apprehended at Lutz, Florida, located outside Tampa. Corey was arrested for making a written, electronic threat to carry out a mass school shooting or terrorist act. He is allegedly charged with a second-degree felony that can result in up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
With increasing threats to school safety, Hillsborough County Officer Chad Chronister mentioned in a statement:
“This type of threat is unacceptable. This man intentionally instilled fear into our community as a sick joke, but be warned, this is no laughing matter.”
He continued:
"His agency will “do everything in our power” to pursue charges on anyone who makes school-based threats."
After further investigation into the case, detectives also determined that the handgun and the rifle were “airsoft” guns. Sheriff Chad Chronister went on to say:
“Protecting our students is our greatest priority. We take school threats very seriously, if you see something suspicious, please contact us immediately.”
Corey Anderson was detained on Sunday and taken into custody. According to court records, he was freed on a $7,500 bond on Monday, May 30. The name of the attorney who could speak on Anderson's behalf was not found in the records.
Recent school shooting sends the world into mourning
The arrest of Corey Anderson took place just a few days after an 18-year-old named Salvador Ramos entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and fatally shot 19 young students and two instructors. Law enforcement authorities shot and killed the gunman 80 minutes after he entered the school in the suburb nestled among vegetable fields halfway between San Antonio and the US-Mexico border.
It was a horrifying experience for all the students, teachers and guardians involved. Witnessing their beloved two instructors dying in an effort to protect the students from gunfire in the Texas massacre was one of the most awful moments for the children who survived. After the incident, many have sworn that their lives will never be the same again.
The families of the students who died in the tragedy also launched a GoFundMe campaign for some aid with the funeral expenses. They belonged to the second, third and fourth grades. Xavier Lopez, Amerie Jo Garza, Alexandra Rubio, Maite Yuleana, Tess Marie Mata, and Layla Salazar were a few of the students whose bodies were identified. The teachers who sacrificed their lives in shielding students from the attacker were named Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia. It was a delibatating experience for the entire community of Uvalde, Texas.
