A middle school student in Florida was taken into custody earlier this year. He was charged as an adult for allegedly making firearms and explosives for a planned robbery, according to authorities.
Investigation Details
The investigation began on April 27 when the St. Johns County sheriff’s deputies received a tip. It suggested that Julian Davis, 14, and a 13-year-old friend were discussing on Telegram about using a gun for robbery.
Texts between the boys, students of Switzerland Point Middle School, described making a shotgun and musket. They also discussed acquiring zip ties, the arrest report said.
Authorities’ Concerns
Sheriff Robert Hardwick and federal investigators spoke publicly about the case for the first time during a press conference. They expressed that charging Davis, due to his interest in school shootings, might have averted potential violence at the school and community.
Davis was arrested on April 30. He faced adult charges related to firearms and explosives. Both he and his friend were charged with planning a robbery involving a firearm. The younger boy, not charged as an adult, remains unnamed in reports.
Evidence Found
From April 27 to 30, law enforcement searched Davis’ home multiple times. They discovered three homemade firearms, ammunition, suspected explosive parts, and makeshift handcuffs. Photos showed handwritten weapon construction notes and a drawing resembling a Molotov cocktail.
A tactical vest with white supremacy symbols and a manifesto of Brenton Tarrant, a white supremacist involved in the 2019 Christchurch shootings, were also found.
Additional Concerns and Online Activities
Authorities found a U.S. Army improvised munitions handbook and “The Anarchist Cookbook” in Davis’ home. Sheriff Hardwick indicated the boys planned to rob a person known as CJ, although they failed to identify who CJ was.
Davis’ online searches suggested a broader scope than a single robbery. He researched notorious school shootings and stabbings, indicating a desire to imitate those events, according to Hardwick.
Legal Proceedings
Davis remains at the St. Johns County Jail with a $240,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty and will appear in court next month for additional charges. Davis’ lawyer was contacted for comment but did not respond.
His accomplice spent 21 days in juvenile detention before release. Both students are prohibited from returning to their school. Paul Abbatinozzi, a district official, stated that the school wasn’t directly threatened.
A tip through FortifyFL, a threat-reporting platform post-Parkland shooting, alerted authorities to the boys’ actions.