21-023 Deputies Arrest Pinellas Park Middle School Student for School Shooting Threat

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
-School Resource Officer Unit

Isabella Bailey-Hopkins (Suspect – Arrested)
DOB: 2/11/2008
Charges: Written Threats to Conduct Mass Shooting

PINELLAS COUNTY – On Monday, February 22, 2021, deputies assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau have arrested 13-year-old Isabella Bailey-Hopkins for threatening a school shooting at Pinellas Park Middle School.

Investigators received an anonymous tip on the night of Sunday, February 21, 2021 stating Bailey-Hopkins had threatened to shoot up her school. In a Snapchat post, which was reposted to TikTok, Bailey-Hopkins said, “I’m Can’t be the only one who want to shoot up my school, not going to do it just a thought.” It then reads, “Are you ok, no it’s Monday tomorrow.”

When Bailey-Hopkins realized people were screenshotting her post, she removed it. It was followed by a separate post saying, “For all you that reposted, it was a joke and I did not mean it.”

Deputies met with Bailey-Hopkins and her parents during the investigation. Baily-Hopkins admitted to posting the threats and said it was, “just a joke.”

Bailey-Hopkins was arrested and transported to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center. She was charged with one count of Written Threats to Conduct Mass Shooting. Deputies say Bailey-Hopkins does not have access to any firearms and she did not appear to have the means to carry out the threat.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office offers a social media resource to parents called, “A Toolbox for Parents.” The toolbox provides resources to help parents in protecting their families while online and can be found at www.pcsoweb.com.