Updated on Dec. 3 at 4:10 p.m. ET
The Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office is filing felony charges against a 17-year-old girl for allegedly threatening to carry out a shooting at her school.
While riding her bus to school Thursday morning, the Flint Southwestern Academy student made a rap-style video threatening violence and referenced the deadly shooting this week at Oxford High School.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton says she’s charged with one count of false threat of terrorism and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.
“She’s charged in the juvenile system, she’s currently incarcerated, she’s not going home anytime soon…and we deem this a very, very serious offense,” Leyton said.
Each of those counts constitutes a 20-year felony.
Leyton says Michigan law clearly states that not intending to cause harm is not a defense.
“You’re going to get locked up, you’re going to mess up your life, your parents are going to be very upset with you, your grandparents are going to be very upset with you; you’re going to be shunned in the school community,” he said. “The message is, just don’t do it.”
The incident comes as many Michigan school districts face a rash of copycat threats.
On Friday, Webberville schools closed so officials could investigate “concerning conversations and / or statements” from students and parents.
The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office also placed a Holt Jr. High School Student in custody after an online threat was made.
Detectives began investigating the threat made online Thursday night related to a shooting.
Friday morning, the office identified and apprehended a 13-year-old student at the school.
