POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Early Thursday morning, a 16-year-old student from George Jenkins High School in South Lakeland was arrested after making a false threat to shoot up the school.
The incident began when a young man called a Jacksonville suicide prevention and mental health emergency helpline around 2:20 a.m., claiming he intended to harm himself and carry out a school shooting.
During a lengthy conversation with the helpline, the caller provided misleading information, mentioning various locations in Jacksonville, such as street names, a Church’s Chicken restaurant, and an eye clinic. While trying to gather more details, the helpline notified the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, who immediately took the threat seriously and launched an investigation.
Read: Lakeland Duo’s Early Morning Hide-And-Seek Ends In Arrest, Courtesy Of Polk County Sheriff K9
As officers began working to identify the individual, they used phone data to track the caller’s location. Initially, the caller mentioned being near an elementary school and described a Draco AK-47 firearm that he allegedly planned to use. However, when authorities pinged the phone’s location, they were surprised to find it in Lakeland, not Jacksonville. The phone was traced to George Jenkins High School, where officers responded swiftly, fearing a potential active shooter situation.
The student in question, 16-year-old Orion Burts, was found in class, lifting weights during physical education. Burts, a well-known, intelligent student who also played on the school’s football team, appeared to have no knowledge of the situation when deputies confronted him. Upon searching his phone, however, officers found evidence that Burts had indeed made the call to the helpline, despite his claims of not understanding or remembering the incident.
Read: Lakeland Duo’s Early Morning Hide-And-Seek Ends In Arrest, Courtesy Of Polk County Sheriff K9
Although no firearm was found, and there was no immediate threat to the school, Burts was arrested and now faces serious felony and misdemeanor charges. Polk County Sheriff’s Office officials expressed outrage at the situation.
Sheriff Grady Judd commented, “This is not a childish prank. This is a felonious act to threaten to shoot a school, and we treat every threat as real until proven otherwise.”
The incident sparked concern among students, parents, and staff, especially in the wake of a recent school shooting in Georgia, raising fears that this could be a copycat attempt. Authorities emphasized that swift action and the use of publicly available data allowed them to quickly identify and apprehend the suspect, preventing further panic or harm.
Burts, who was immediately removed from the school football team, is expected to be transferred to an alternative school for students who pose disciplinary issues, pending further legal action. Sheriff Judd concluded, “Words matter. This young man went from being a football player to facing severe consequences. We will not tolerate these kinds of threats.”
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