PANAMA CITY — Deputies arrested a Merritt Brown Middle School student Saturday after he allegedly threatened gun violence at the school, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office.
Logan Chason was arrested and charged with written threats to do bodily harm, a second-degree felony, and was turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice. On Saturday, he allegedly posted to his Facebook page the following:
"I'm in a bad mood so it's gonna be my worst week, then watch out Merritt Brown Middle School I'm gonna come to school with a gun and start shooting."
A man in Ohio reported the post to the sheriff's office after he saw it online. The post remained on his page Sunday evening.
Chason's Facebook friends were critical of the post, and he responded, "I wasn't being serious I would never endanger myself or my friends/family in that manner."
Deputies made contact with Chason on Saturday evening. They searched two homes where he stays and found no weapons at either location, said BCSO Sgt. Andy Husar.
He told deputies he made the comment because he was angry about another person's Facebook post, but he never had any intention of following through on the threat, Husar said.
Bay District Schools has suspended Chason for 10 days and he has been recommended for expulsion. Parents of Merritt Brown students were notified of the incident via the district’s IRIS notification system.
BCSO is still investigating. Extra officers will be posted at the school this week as a precautionary measure.