FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida teen arrested for threatening to shoot up Piper High School has been released from jail.
Broward County Schools and Sunrise Police didn’t want to take any chances when they were alerted to the threat on social media, so they arrested 18-year-old J.P. Taravella High student Nathalie Grant.
7News cameras were on scene at the Broward County Jail as Grant was released. She seemed as if she didn’t know if she should smile or look at the cameras.
Grant is accused of threatening to carry out a shooting at her ex-boyfriend’s high school, Piper High, via Instagram Live.
“Kids do stupid things. I know because I used to be a kid,” her attorney said. “I’m concerned too, judge. You can’t read this report and not be concerned. Kids do stupid things.”
Her attorney said Grant was not serious about the threat and said it was a lovers’ spat.
“The question about this is whether this is some kind of jealous thing about an ex-boyfriend that made her say stupid things,” he said.
“This is not a matter of someone doing something stupid. She made a threat to shoot Piper High School, and none of us live in Ms. Grant’s mind,” said another attorney at the bond court.
According to the arrest report, Grant went on Instagram Live at around 2 a.m. Monday and threatened her ex.
When a Piper High student commented on the video, the report stated, the suspect replied, “I’ll shoot up y’all school.” She then went on to say, “Play with it.”
The Piper High community was relieved to hear about Grant’s arrest.
“That’s terrible. I’m glad she was arrested, to be honest with you,” said parent Katherine Manalaysay.
Piper High students took the threat seriously and took screenshots of the post. They then sent the images to the school resource officer.
“It’s actually really sad that we send our kids to school to learn every day and yet you have to worry about their safety,” said Manalaysay. “How can any parent be comfortable knowing that there’s a threat made to a school? You know, it’s not fair to the parents, it’s not fair to the students, it’s not fair to the administrators, nobody.”
Grant is not expected to attend Taravella any time soon. She must wear a GPS monitor. It is up to the Broward County School Board as to what’s next for the 18-year-old.
A judge has ordered Grant to stay away from Piper High School and her ex-boyfriend.
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