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Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 17-year-old Merquetio Alan Stevenson for making threats of violence toward other students at Lake Weir High School. The MCSO worked in partnership with state and federal agencies to locate Stevenson and bring forth charges against him as a part of a zero tolerance policy on threats of violence toward students in Marion County schools.
Police said that on Thursday, several LWHS students came forward to authorities to report several threats Stevenson had allegedly made while riding a school bus on Thursday. Several students witnessed Stevenson saying that he was going to shoot and blow the school up and that they were all going to die. Stevenson then began ranting about blowing up the bus and about how body parts would be everywhere.
LWHS experienced an increased presence of law enforcement on campus Friday to ensure the security of the students during a police investigation into Stevenson’s threats. Stevenson was located Friday afternoon in the Whispering Sands neighborhood and was taken into custody without incident.
Police said that on Thursday, several LWHS students came forward to authorities to report several threats Stevenson had allegedly made while riding a school bus on Thursday. Several students witnessed Stevenson saying that he was going to shoot and blow the school up and that they were all going to die. Stevenson then began ranting about blowing up the bus and about how body parts would be everywhere.
LWHS experienced an increased presence of law enforcement on campus Friday to ensure the security of the students during a police investigation into Stevenson’s threats. Stevenson was located Friday afternoon in the Whispering Sands neighborhood and was taken into custody without incident.
Stevenson has five prior felony convictions from December 2016. He has been charged with a threat to bomb-threaten discharge of a destructive device and two misdemeanor charges, which are not public record due to his juvenile status. Stevenson is currently being held in the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center on no bond. More than half of the student population was absent from LWHS Friday due to Stevenson’s threats.
“As I said in my Facebook video address on Thursday morning, threats against our students will not be tolerated,” said Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods. “I made a promise that the men and women of our agency would aggressively investigate these threats, and we made good on that promise today. We will continue to remain steadfast in our mission to protect our children from all of those who wish to do them harm."
17-YEAR OLD LWHS STUDENT ARRESTED FOR MAKING THREATS OF VIOLENCE TO SCHOOL Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO)...
Posted by Marion County Sheriff's Office on Friday, February 16, 2018
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