SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - An eighth grader at Leewood K-8 in Southwest Miami-Dade has been arrested after he allegedly sent a threatening message in a group chat with other students.
Miami-Dade Police Department officers questioned 13-year-old Adam Calvo at the school, located in the area of Southwest 124th Street and 104th Avenue, on Thursday. They later took him into custody.
In a group chat with his classmates on Wednesday, the student allegedly threatened to shoot up minority students as well as those who are members of the LGBT community at the school.
Calvo’s text read in part, “Wanna hear what is oppressed? My shotgun ammo because I am wasting it on minorities like you. Do you think I won’t hesitate to shoot you? Well guess what buddy, I wouldn’t.”
The teen went on to write, “I am on my way to murder you … I hate not only you and your ‘LGBT community’ but I also hate your ‘blacklivesmatter’ because, guess what, white lives matter too.”
One member in the chat reported the incident to school administrators and authorities.
“The kids did what they were supposed to do. They saw something, they said something,” said Mike Mesa, the father of a Leewood K-8 student.
Investigators said Calvo claimed he had copied and pasted the messages but did not state from where.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials said the threat was deemed non-credible. The school’s principal, Bart D. Christie, sent a robocall to parents on Thursday to inform them about the incident.
“Legal and administrative consequences will be at the forefront of these matters, no matter how small or large they may seem,” Christie said in the robocall. “Miami-Dade County Public Schools does not condone behavior that disrupts the peace of mind or safe educational environment we work so hard to ensure. This incident serves as a reminder to speak with your child about the responsible use of social media.”
Calvo was arrested and charged with a felony of written threats to kill.
Parents of Leewood K-8 students weighed in on the arrest on Monday afternoon.
“It’s scary that their minds think like that,” said a parent.
“I didn’t know exactly what it was. That’s harsh,” said parent Shauntae Fountain. “The whole thing is mind-boggling.”
“Unfortunately, this is becoming the new normal, and it’s a scary situation to be in,” said Mesa.
“As soon as I got the phone call I’m just like, ‘Look, this is what happened, and if you see anything like this that goes on, like in your cellphone or if you decide that you are feeling some type of way, you want to lash out … just don’t. You get what I’m saying?” said Fountain. “It goes both ways because you not only have to protect your kids from when they see or hear those things, but you also have to protect your kids to make sure they don’t do the same thing.”
During a phone interview, Calvo’s grandfather said his grandson did not write those messages. He also said they are an immigrant family, and they do not like guns.
Calvo is scheduled to appear in court next week.
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