INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 25-year-old man faces a charge of making written and electronic threats to kill or cause bodily harm after authorities say he submitted a string of tips through Florida’s Fortify FL app that targeted two high schools in Indian River County.
Antonio Mojica was arrested following reports that mentioned Sebastian River High School, Vero Beach High School and the city of Palm Bay, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office said its investigators and school resource officers, working with the Real Time Crime Center and local school officials, quickly determined the tips were unfounded. No threats materialized and schools remained safe.
Officials stressed that every report of a potential school threat is taken seriously.
“These types of false threats divert critical attention and resources away from legitimate public safety matters,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “If you see something, say something, but know that making false threats is a criminal offense.”
The agency praised the rapid response by its Investigations and Schools Resource Teams, the Real Time Crime Center and school administrators for confirming the tips posed no danger.