Auburndale High School Students Charged with Written Threats
Auburndale Police Department Press Release:
On Friday, August 23, 2019, a folded piece of notebook paper was found in a mailbox of a residence in Auburndale. The note was found by the spouse of an Auburndale High School teacher. The note was turned over to the Auburndale High School Resource Officer, by the teacher’s spouse. On one side of the paper “School Shooting” was written and a rudimentary drawing that appeared to be depict students, desks and exit signs. The note did not specify any specific school, timeframe or location.
Since receiving the note, members of the Auburndale Police Department have been investigating any and all leads to identify any person(s) involved in this incident.
On Sunday, August 25, 2019 at approximately 11:30 PM, a video was obtained that showed (3) subjects in the area where the note was placed in the mailbox. The video was viewed by Auburndale High School staff and members of the Auburndale High School who were able to identify the (3) Auburndale High School Students as Jarvis Antoine B/M 14 years old, Broc Snyder W/M 14 years old and German Escobedo H/M 14 years old.
When interviewed Antoine stated he found the note on the floor in his 6th period class. Antoine later showed the note to Snyder and Escobedo. As the (3) were walking home, after school was released, a “dare” was made to place the note in a (random) mailbox. Antoine opened the mailbox; Snyder placed the note into the mailbox and Escobedo closed the mailbox. None of the (3) student admitted to writing the note.
All (3) subjects were arrested and charged with written threats to do harm or kill, a second-degree felony.
School Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd would like to share the following:
“I commend our staff and the Auburndale Police Department for quickly responding to this incident and working together to keep our students safe. Safety is — and always will be — our top priority at Polk County Public Schools. Safety is also a shared responsibility. We must all be observant, and if we see or hear anything that makes us feel unsafe, we must promptly report it to school administrators or a School Resource Officer.
The investigation is ongoing.
