- October 5, 2026
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 16-year-old Palm Coast girl who deputies say used the FortifyFL school safety reporting app to make numerous false threats against herself and others.
According to FCSO, its Criminal Intelligence Unit investigated multiple false reports submitted through FortifyFL between Aug. 13 and Sept. 15. Detectives said the reports alleged potential violence involving the juvenile, members of her family and other students and were intended to provoke law enforcement responses at multiple schools and at her home.
On Aug. 13, FCSO said it received a FortifyFL tip claiming one of the juvenile’s siblings had a firearm and had been instructed to shoot inside the lunchroom at Rymfire Elementary School. Detectives said they traced the tip to a device at the juvenile’s residence.
While detectives were at the home investigating and speaking with the juvenile’s mother, deputies received another FortifyFL tip claiming someone was going to Flagler Palm Coast High School to “shoot it up.” Deputies responded to the school and determined the threat was a hoax. Detectives said they traced that tip back to the juvenile’s residence and determined she had submitted it from another device while investigators were speaking with her mother.
On Aug. 19, detectives served a search warrant at the juvenile’s home and seized multiple electronic devices. FCSO said its Digital Forensics Unit examined the juvenile’s phone and determined it had been used to submit FortifyFL tips.
FCSO said another FortifyFL tip was received on Sept. 14 alleging the juvenile planned to kill members of her family and burn down her home. The tip also alleged she had planned to kill someone at her school earlier that day but decided against it.
When deputies responded to investigate, the juvenile denied making the threats and said she did not have access to electronic devices. Detectives said they traced the threat and determined it had been submitted by the juvenile.
On Sept. 16, detectives obtained an order to take the juvenile into custody on charges of unlawful use of a two-way communication device and making a false report concerning the planting of a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction, or concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner.
Detectives located the juvenile in the parking lot of the Palm Coast Landings shopping center and took her into custody with assistance from the Fugitive Apprehension Unit. FCSO said detectives found that she had a new cellphone that her mother had purchased for her after the previous search warrant.
The juvenile was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility for processing and then transported to the Volusia Family Resource Center, where she was turned over to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
Sheriff Rick Staly said the investigation has required more than 300 hours of work by the agency. He also criticized the juvenile’s misuse of FortifyFL and said parents should monitor their children’s electronic and internet use.
FCSO said its Criminal Intelligence Unit is continuing to investigate other false reports dating back to October 2025 that detectives believe may be connected to the juvenile. Detectives are also assisting other law enforcement agencies investigating swatting incidents targeting schools and residents in their jurisdictions.
Additional charges could be filed depending on the results of those investigations.
