Volusia County teen admits to school shooting hoax, deputies say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies have arrested a 16-year-old who confessed to making one of multiple school shooting threats in Volusia County, investigators said.

Austin Holt was arrested Thursday afternoon. He’s accused of posting a message on Instagram that read: “guys sry i didn’t make it by 11 i gotchu tomorrow 4/21 school shooting tell everyone.”

Holt is a student at Atlantic High School in Port Orange. He’s been charged with making a false report of a school shooting, deputies said

Holt has been placed on home detention and is expected to appear before a judge Friday.

Holt’s school threat is one of several this week at schools across the Volusia County School District, deputies said.  One threat was written on a bathroom wall at University High School in Orange City, another threat was called into Crime Stoppers for New Smyrna Beach Middle School and another threat was written on a bathroom all at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, deputies said.

“It’s not cute, it’s not clever, and if we identify the individuals responsible for any of these threats, they aren’t going to like the consequences,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Thursday. “We’ve all had enough. To anyone contemplating risking his or her future by threatening a school and catching a felony, I’d suggest finding other pursuits.”

“Making threats against schools is a waste of resources and is emotionally upsetting for parents and students,” Superintendent of Schools Tom Russell said. “We will not tolerate these crimes being committed against our schools and will take strong disciplinary action for this behavior. We are very grateful to law enforcement for our continued partnership.”

Cox Media Group