A teen boy was arrested on a Spirit Airlines flight after he allegedly made a bomb threat as a joke on Monday, July 14. Despite how egregious this type of joke is, his mother says he was just fooling around, according to PEOPLE.
Videos by Suggest
Teen Makes Jokes About Bomb Threat On Spirit Airlines And Gets Arrested
Broward Sheriff’s Office responded to a report around 3:15 PM of the 16-year-old’s bomb threat. This was on flight 1332 from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Missouri.
The authorities swiftly arrested the teen boy. He now faces charges of criminal mischief $1,000 or more and false report of a bomb or explosive.
In a statement from Spirit Airlines, we know that the plane taxied to a remote location and safely deplaned its passengers. Law enforcement then inspected the aircraft to clear it of any dangers.
There was even a viral TikTok of the incident. The video showed officers swarming the plane and arresting the teenager. Sirens blared over the footage as the person taking the video said, “Holy sh*t.”
Parents Defend Teen Son Who Made Bomb Threat
The parents of the teenager, who was on vacation in Florida and stayed with family friends, don’t believe these charges are acceptable. His mother spoke to the Miami Herald and said her son was “a good kid.”
The outlet also revealed how the false bomb threat happened. His mother explained that as the plane was ready to depart, he made a joke and said: “I have a bomb in my pocket.”
It seems a nearby woman overheard him say this and reported the teen’s comments. Still, the mother insisted he was only joking, and he thought he was using slang.
Meanwhile, the teen’s father, Phillip Schmidt, spoke with the juvenile court judge on Tuesday to also defend his son. “I would just like to ask for grace in this matter,” said the dad via NBC Miami. “I don’t believe he acted criminally. He was acting as an immature 16-year-old in my opinion.”
The judge proceeded to order that the teen undergo a psychological evaluation. Currently, they are holding him in juvenile detention.