THREAT AGAINST KEYS HIGH SCHOOL DRAWS POLICE RESPONSE

Coral Shores: Coral Shores High School. Jim McCarthy/Keys Weekly File Photo

Coral Shores High School students entering their final week of class witnessed a large law enforcement presence on May 23 following a threat made by a student.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the student who made the threatening statements during the morning was identified and interviewed. The name of the student wasn’t provided, and it’s unknown whether he had any association to the high school.

The sheriff’s office concluded there was no active threat after working with the Monroe County School District, the Office of the State Attorney and the Miami-Dade Police Department.

“The safety of our children is my number one priority,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “I want to thank school officials, the State Attorney’s Office, and the Miami-Dade Police Department for their help in ensuring that priority is met.”

A criminal investigation is ongoing as the sheriff’s office is working with prosecutors and the student’s parents who have been cooperative.

Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.