PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Authorities say a 15-year-old Port St. Lucie High School student is under arrest after threatening to stab another student in the throat.
Police said the teenager brought three knives to school on Thursday with the intent of harming another student who had been bullying him.
School administrators learned about the threat from other students, then contacted a school resource officer around 7:30 a.m.
Police said the officer located the student in a classroom. He had a knife in his pocket and two more in his backpack, according to police.
"The suspect indicated and alleged that he's been bullied for quite some time, and he intended to stab the victim," said Assistant Chief Richard DelToro at a news conference on Thursday. "The suspect in this case has alleged, for the past couple months he's been bullied, not only at school but on social media, and apparently he's had enough of it."
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DelToro added there was no violence, and the teen was arrested without incident.
The suspect, whose name has not been released by police, is facing felony charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon on school property, intimidation to threaten, kill, or injure, as well as a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon.
DelToro said Port St. Lucie police, St. Lucie County deputies, and school administrators are investigating the suspect's claim that he'd been bullied.
"A lot of these incidents that happen, school violence, are a result of bullying," said DelToro. "We have to have those conversations with our kids that if you're being bullied, or being mistreated, or feel like you're being mistreated, bring that forward."
DelToro described the knives as a folding knife, a wooded-assisted opening knife, and 6-inch exotic knife.
A spokesperson for the St. Lucie County School District released this statement on Thursday:
"Taking immediate action after receiving a tip from a student, Port St. Lucie High School administrators, law enforcement, and school security officers confiscated knives from a student on campus who voiced threats against another student. The individual was arrested and will face severe consequences. Providing a safe and secure learning environment is a top priority for St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) and incidents such as this are treated seriously. The District encourages parents to take this opportunity to speak to their child about the importance of school safety and report any information they may have that compromises their safety and the safety of others."
The school district said you can also report threats by contacting Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477, or through the free Fortify Florida app.