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PALM BAY, FL— The Palm Bay Police Department announced the arrest of a 15-year-old boy accused of threatening to carry out a mass shooting at Central Middle School in West Melbourne.

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According to a statement from the department, detectives were alerted by the Melbourne Police Department after a Stone Middle School student allegedly made the threat in an electronic message that circulated online. The threat referenced “shooting up Central” and was quickly reported to law enforcement.

The suspect, identified as Ty’ Maurie Sanders, a Palm Bay resident, admitted to making the statement when detectives from the Palm Bay Police Department’s Special Victims Unit met with him and his parents. Sanders was taken into custody on charges of making written threats to conduct a mass shooting and was transported to the Brevard County Juvenile Detention Center.

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Authorities emphasized that there was no immediate danger to the school community once the threat was reported and investigated.

“The Palm Bay Police Department remains committed to the safety of our children and school administrators,” the department said in its release. “Parents — please be aware of your children’s phones and social media accounts. Remind them of the weight their words carry and that there will be consequences to their actions.”

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In an email sent to families on Monday afternoon, Central Middle School Principal Heather Smith reassured parents that the situation had been handled swiftly and that student safety remains the school’s highest priority.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable for students to threaten or even allude to a threat towards any school or community,” Smith wrote. “Please know that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. We take every report seriously and will continue to communicate transparently with our families.”

The Palm Bay Police Department credited the quick communication between both agencies and school officials for helping to resolve the matter before anyone was harmed.

This is an ongoing juvenile case, and further details have not been released due to privacy laws.

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