Farnell Student Arrested for Faking Threat Against School

A 13-year-old Farnell Middle School student was arrested this morning after deputies say he fueled rumors of violence on the Westchase campus.

The official charge was filing a false police report, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office media release said.

The incident began yesterday when the teen, whose name is not being released, reported graffiti on his driveway. The graffiti, written in dark magic marker, said: “From Con to FL Farnell UR Next!!”

When deputies responded to the home, the boy told them he had no idea who could have written the threat on his driveway, the release said.

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Deputies arrested the boy at the school this morning. He told them he wasn’t threatening the school, but was “scared the Connecticut shooter was still alive and could next attack Farnell Middle School,” the release said. The boy told deputies the Newtown, Conn., shootings were the talk of the school and he “had to write it down” to get it out of his head.

The teen did say he knew how serious the crime was and that he was sorry.

A 15-year-old girl from Armwood High School was also arrested this week after creating a fake Facebook account and posting threats against that school, the release said.

Hillsborough County schools have also had two incidents involving bullets found on buses this week. Campuses across the county remain on modified lockdown following the shootings in Connecticut.