Student who threatened school shooting back in the classroom, officials say

MOUNT DORA, Fla. — A 20-year-old student is back in the classroom at Mount Dora High School weeks after police said he was talking about bringing a gun to school, district officials said.

Charles Gould was overheard at the school saying he wanted to get a gun so he could take it to school and shoot other students, Mount Dora police said. He said he wanted the gun to protect himself, police said.

When students asked Gould what he was talking about, he said he was going to get jumped, so he was getting a gun to shoot students he said were bullying him, police said.

Gould was arrested at the school Jan. 11 on misdemeanor charges for disruption of a school facility, police said.

The district would not say why Gould was at the school, but a source told Channel 9’s Myrt Price the student is in a special education program, which works with students as old as 22 years old.

The source said the student is federally protected and can't be expelled. By law the district can't talk to parents about the student’s actions.

A spokesperson for the district said Gould is being escorted on campus at all times.

Police said Gould never had a gun or access to a weapon.

Cox Media Group