HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - An eighth grader at Attucks Middle School has been recognized for stopping a potential school shooting from happening in Ohio.
AudreyAnna Stone was brought before her peers in Hollywood on Thursday where police thanked her for reaching out to them about a potential danger thousands of miles away.
“Ms. Stone witnessed online threats and realized the gravity of those threats,” said Springfield City School District Superintendent Robert Hill.
The middle school student befriended another student from a high school in Ohio over social media. After their friendship developed over a few years, her friend opened up to her about his disturbing plans.
“He kept texting me talking about how he wanted to shoot people because he didn’t feel like he was wanted at the school. He was being made fun of,” said Stone. “He sent me a video saying that he was going to do it. He sent me pictures of guns and then screenshots of a list of people that he wanted to shoot.”
.@attucksms 8th grader, AudreyAnna Stone saw something and said something, which helped keep many students safe… as far as Ohio. Today, she was honored for her heroism by Ohio police officials, the town’s Superintendent and @HollywoodFLPD. Read more: https://t.co/sAJsFfOS3v pic.twitter.com/CMf7znYTEY
— Broward Schools (@browardschools) May 30, 2019
She immediately called authorities and told them everything she had learned.
“On their initial contact with that person, they found everything that AudreyAnna stated that they would,” said Hollywood Police Department Major Derik Alexander.
Ohio law enforcement and the Springfield school district superintendent in northwest Ohio flew down to Hollywood to personally thank her.
“[She] prevented a potential tragedy and saved the lives of numerous individuals. AudreyAnna, congratulations,” said Alexander during the presentation.
Hollywood Police also recognized her bravery by presenting her the Chief’s Special Recognition Award.
“She saw something, she got some horrible information from a person she was friends with, and she passed that information along,” said Alexander.
Officials said the Ohio teenager has been taken into custody after he had a weapon in his possession as well as a written plan to shoot students at the school.
“Don’t think twice, just automatically talk to someone about it,” said Stone.
Authorities want every student to remember “see something say something” just like Stone did, as it could potentially save lives.
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