Daytona Beach Police Department Chief Craig Capri "Perfectly Executed for a Non-Threat"

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri confirmed this afternoon that the ‘active shooter call’ that over 100 officers across multiple agencies responded to yesterday around 12:30 p.m at Mainland High School was not an active event. 

Law Enforcement flocked to the scene and secured the school within 2-6 minutes. Investigations and evidence collected at the scene confirmed firecrackers had been detonated in a stairwell, prompting a Code Red Lockdown Procedure. 

Capri confirmed that all four students in relation to both incidents, are in custody and have been charged within 24-hrs of the incident. Cameron Boatwright, 14, Chase Irven, 14, and Christopher D. Pinkney has been charged with

Intentionally and unlawfully introducing an explosive device into a school campus and detonating said explosive (2  devices) causing a disruption of school services and activity. Investigators found a total of four firecrackers on campus two in the stairwell, one in the dean’s office, and one in the book bag of Cameron Boatwright.  

DBPD looked into the surveillance system, but it has yet to be confirmed if the students are seen detonating the fireworks on video. 

Zytavious E. McLeod, 16, was arrested in the social media threat after an all-night investigation and charged with Written threat to kill and Injure. “All four suspects claimed these incidents as ‘just a joke’,” Capri said. 

It is un-confirmed if McLeod has any connection with Boatwright, Irven, and Pinkney. All four suspects are now at the mercy of the judicial system.

Chief Capri went on to praise the efforts and response to the incidents as “the perfect response.” Along with the Daytona Beach Police Department, Volusia County Sheriff, Ormond Beach Police, and multiple other agencies were reported on the scene. 

Capri wants this incident to be a lesson to other children nation-wide “don’t do this kind of stupid stuff,” he said, “This kind of stuff will come back to haunt you.” The chief is unaware if the students are aware of the “residual damage they could have caused due to a prank.”