A Marion County sheriff’s deputy was asked to assist the Ocala Police Department after a West Port High School student reported hearing a senior talking about bringing a gun to Friday night’s football game.
The deputy went to the student’s home in the 11300 block of NW 177th Place in Ocala Estates to make contact with his parents. The student’s mother said she had not heard him “say anything suspiciously recently” and it was the first time she was hearing about the issue. She told the deputy there are no firearms in her home and the student doesn’t have access to weapons at the residence, a sheriff’s office report states.
The deputy then learned that the incident was in reference to a group message on Snapchat the student had been a part of the night before. He said two other students were texting about fighting someone else and one of them stated: “I want gun smoke.”
The student said a screenshot of that statement was sent to everyone in the group text and that others said they wanted to “go pull up on him,” referring to the person the two wanted to fight. The student said he then left the group chat.
The deputy then spoke with the student’s father via speakerphone. He told the deputy he had spoken with his son the night before regarding the incident and would be keeping him home from the football game, the report says.
The deputy also was aware from a previous visit that the father owned a Springfield semi-automatic firearm. He assured the deputy that the weapon was with him and he said he keeps it out of sight and away from his son when he’s at home. The father also said that he stores the firearm in a case when he’s not carrying it with him, the report says.
The deputy reported his findings back to an Ocala Police sergeant and the juvenile division was notified of the information, the report says.
