PALM BAY, Fla. — A 13-year-old has been arrested after an FBI tip alerted Palm Bay Police to an alleged plan for a “mass casualty incident” expected to take place sometime this month.

According to the Palm Bay Police Department, the juvenile allegedly used TikTok to indicate an intention to carry out an attack.

Investigators also discovered electronic documents on the juvenile’s phone that police said expressed a desire to conduct an attack.

The 13-year-old now faces a charge of writing threats to kill or conduct a mass shooting.

Police credited the person who submitted the tip with bringing the alleged threat to the attention of authorities before an attack could occur.

“We are eternally grateful to whomever submitted this tip,” Palm Bay Police said.

The department also used the incident to urge parents to remain involved in their children’s lives, talk with them about concerning behavior and routinely check on their mental well-being.

Because the suspect is a juvenile, identifying information has not been released.

The case highlights the importance of reporting potential threats rather than assuming comments or posts made online are harmless. In this case, a tip to federal authorities prompted an investigation that led police to information they considered serious enough to make an arrest.

The investigation remains ongoing, and IRC Media will update this story if additional information is released by law enforcement.

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