Florida school officials admit failure after teacher reported potential school shooting plot

TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Brevard County Public Schools leaders admit they failed to identify a possible school shooting plot even after a teacher spoke up about a student making threats.

A now-former Astronaut High School student was arrested in January 2017 after being found with guns, a bulletproof vest and other weapons, but 9 Investigates' Karla Ray learned that arrest only happened after the relative of that teacher went beyond her chain of command and called Titusville police.

A second former student was also arrested, after investigators found the two had texted, in detail, about a potential school shooting and even specific classrooms within the high school.

School leaders just notified parents about the incident, more than a year later, after 9 Investigates conducted interviews for a story.

9 Investigates has uncovered that the very same week as an evacuation at Astronaut High School for an unsubstantiated bomb threat, in January 2017, Titusville police arrested two students for a much more detailed threat.

Records show a search of one of the student’s phones revealed conversations making reference to school shootings, and details about a planned attack against the school and students, with specific references about when the attack would take place.

Police searched further and found the same student had a "rifle which had two fully loaded magazines, a pistol, multiple airsoft weapons, and over 15 homemade axes, knives, shivs, machetes, tomahawks and other cutting instruments" in his room.

“It was as scary as it gets.  People have been talking about a new day for security after Parkland, but for us, it came a year ago, at Astronaut High School,” Assistant Superintendent Matt Reed told 9 Investigates.

Reed admitted to 9 Investigates that even though a teacher reported the student, who was later found with the weapons, allegedly made comments about shooting up his class, no one from Astronaut High School’s chain of command told the on-campus School Resource Officer.

“We had a counselor, and a dean, then respond by investigating the students, interrogating them over a couple of days, but reached the wrong conclusion -- that they weren't really a threat,” Reed said.

Fortunately, someone else called Titusville police.

The near-miss prompted a change in policy. Now, law enforcement is involved in investigating all potential school threats in Brevard County.

BCPS campuses have seen changes, too, with all schools going to a "single point of access" with video monitoring and remote locking mechanisms by the end of this school year.

“In light of what's happening all over the place, it's very alarming. Our job is to keep everyone safe,” Titusville police Chief John Lau said.

Titusville police issued a trespass warning to the former student who was caught with the weapons and messages, but Lau couldn't say whether anything was being done to monitor that teen, who will become an adult in just two months.

“We're constantly scanning.  It could be former students, boyfriend, girlfriend, off campus.  We don't really focus on individuals; we focus on everyone,” Chief Lau said.

9 Investigates is not naming the former students because one went through a diversion program, and the one caught with weapons pleaded guilty to a lower charge and adjudication was withheld, meaning neither minor has any criminal record.

This message was issued today to Astronaut High School parents:

Good afternoon War Eagle families! Over the past several weeks our stakeholders have had many focused discussions surrounding school safety and security. As a result of these conversations and multiple inquiries, I feel the need to inform our families of a security threat that occurred during the 2016-2017 school year. It is my hope that sharing this information will help us all to understand Astronaut's protocols for safety and security.
In January 2017, Astronaut students and a teacher reported that another student threatened to shoot people at school. Through strong relationships between our teacher and students, as well as the Titusville PD, detectives acted promptly which resulted in the arrest of two students who had allegedly conspired to harm our students. A search of their homes found weapons that they could have used to carry out an attack. The beginning and end of the investigation happened over a long weekend. The students were investigated and under arrest all within that weekend. The students were expelled from Brevard Public Schools and turned over to the juvenile justice system.
We were asked by law enforcement not to publicly disclose anything during their open investigation, and we cooperated for the sake of student safety. Many changes to increase the level of security for our students at Astronaut have been implemented since the threat. We want to communicate and emphasize the measures we had taken to update and increase the level of security and thoroughness of our procedures. Astronaut has worked closely with Titusville PD and the Brevard Sheriff's Office to make our campus more secure and to keep our students safe.
I am committed to prioritizing student safety and security as number one. Astronaut has been recognized as a "flagship" school by the Titusville SWAT team, developing exemplary processes and procedures that can be replicated throughout the county, in the event of a threat to school security.
I need the support of all of stakeholders, students, families, and community alike, to assist Astronaut in maintaining a positive learning environment that starts with a safe campus. Please talk with and listen to your students. If you or they see something or hear something, please tell someone! Please do not hesitate to schedule a meeting with me if you would like to further discuss school safety. Have a great evening and GOOOOOO War Eagles!!!!

Cox Media Group