Who:

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

Patrol Operations Bureau

Criminal Intelligence Unit

St Petersburg Police Department

Pinellas County Schools

Edward Charles Osgood (Arrested)

DOB: 06/19/2003

Address: 5330 3rd Avenue South St. Petersburg

Attends: Lealman Innovation Academy 4900 28th Street North St. Petersburg

Angela Osgood (Mother of Arrested)

DOB: 10/13/1971

Address: 5330 3rd Avenue South St. Petersburg

Charles Edward Osgood (Father of Arrested)

DOB: 08/22/1966

Address: 5330 3rd Avenue South St. Petersburg

Arrested for Written Threats To Kill Or Do Bodily Injury; Electronic Communication

What:

Detectives have arrested a juvenile for Written Threats To Kill Or Do Bodily Injury; Electronic Communication, which are copycat threats to recent Broward County school shooting.

When:

The initial incident occurred on February 16, 2018 at about 11:00 p.m.

The suspect was arrested Saturday February 17, 2018 at about 6:00 p.m.

Where:

The statements were placed on social media Snapchat while the suspect was at juvenile friend’s home located at 7727 55th Street North Pinellas Park.

The suspect was arrested at his residence located at 5330 3rd Avenue South St. Petersburg.

Why/How:

According to detectives, the suspect identified as 14-year-old Edward Charles Osgood posted a threatening photo and statements on his Snapchat account on February 16, 2018 at about 11:00 p.m. He specifically stated “Round 3 on Florida on Tuesday”. Osgood quoted this while holding what appeared to be an AR 15 style assault rifle and he indicated the shooting would occur at the Lealman Innovation Academy, which is a Pinellas County school. See the attached photo.

On February 17, 2018 at approximately 1:15 p.m. deputies were notified after concerned citizens reported the threatening social media posts on Snapchat to the Pinellas County 911 Regional Communications Center.

Through investigative techniques detectives were able to identify the suspect in the photograph as Osgood.

Detectives went to Osgood’s residence located at 5330 3rd Avenue South in St. Petersburg.

Detectives contacted Osgood’s parents, 46 year old Angela Osgood and 51 year-old Charles Edward Osgood. Detectives spoke with both parents and informed them of Osgood’s post on Snapchat. Detectives then made contact with Osgood. Detectives introduced themselves and Osgood immediately stated, “I know why you are here, because of the photo.” Osgood grabbed his phone and went to the picture section on his phone and showed detectives the photograph with the statement “Round 3 on Florida on Tuesday”. Osgood quoted this while he was depicted holding what appeared to be an AR 15 style assault rifle. Osgood admitted he took the selfie photograph and made the post on his Snapchat account.

Osgood informed detectives he had spent the previous night at his juvenile friend’s house. Osgood told detectives he was checking his Snapchat account and saw a recent post of a white male wearing a black outfit holding a rifle. The caption on the photo read “Round 2 on Florida tomorrow”. (This was in reference to a threatening Snapchat post in Spartanburg, South Carolina that went viral throughout the state of Florida) Osgood informed detectives he thought the post was “messed up”. Osgood then observed his friend’s AR15 replica BB gun in the corner of the room, so he grabbed the gun and took a selfie of himself holding the replica AR15 rifle. Osgood claimed he thought he would be “funny” and posted the photograph on his Snapchat page with the caption, “Round 3 on Florida on Tuesday” and identified Lealman Innovation Academy as the target, which is where Osgood attends school. Round 1 was Douglas High School in Broward County, Round 2 in Spartanburg and Round 3 was to be Lealman Innovation Academy. The subject who posted the Snapchat regarding Round 2 has been arrested by the Spartanburg, South Carolina Police Department.

Due to the threatening nature of Osgood’s Snapchat post, detectives placed Osgood under arrest for Written Threats to Kill or Do Bodily Injury.

Detectives say they also recovered the AR 15 style rifle depicted in the threatening Snapchat post from his friend’s house. The AR 15 style rifle was later identified as a BB gun by detectives.

Osgood was arrested on February 17, 2018 at approximately 6:00 p.m. for Written Threats to Kill or Do Bodily Injury; Electronic Communication and transported to Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center without incident.

Since Wednesday February 14th 2018, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has received several complaints of suspicious individuals who might be a threat to commit acts similar to what occurred in Broward County. No other arrests have been made and we continue to investigate the complaints. We encourage the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately and we will diligently investigate all reported information.

The investigation continues.





Booking photograph: Edward Charles Osgood