The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 13-year-old boy after deputies say he threatened to kill another 13-year-old and sent him a photo of a handgun over Instagram.
Deputies began investigating on July 7, 2026, after the victim’s mother called 911 to report the threat.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the victim received several Instagram messages that day from the suspect, including a photo of the suspect holding a handgun and a written message that read, “Tn 8:00 pm we be there we alr got lo.” The Sheriff’s Office said the message translates to “Tonight, 8:00 pm we be there we already got the location.”
The victim told deputies he believed the suspect planned to come to his home and shoot him at 8 p.m. that night.
When deputies spoke with the suspect, he said he and the victim used to be friends but had a falling out. He told deputies he had messaged the victim that day and that the two were planning to fight.
Sheriff Rick Staly addressed the case and offered guidance to parents. “Threats are no joke, and we take every threat seriously. This teen had already made plans to fight the victim, and he made it clear it wasn’t going to be a fistfight,” Staly said. “I want to remind parents to stay engaged in what their kids are doing online and who they’re talking to. Teach them the proper way of handling disagreements and be the Sheriff of your home.”
Deputies arrested the suspect and took him to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. He was later transferred to the custody of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
