Florida man arrested over stick-figure drawing of school shooting

A crude stick-figure drawing of an apparent fire and mass shooting at a schoolhouse has led to a Florida Panhandle man’s arrest.

Robert Paul Alexander Edwards, 33, of Mexico Beach, Fla., near Panama City Beach, was arrested Dec. 1 on one count of written threat to kill or do bodily injury, according to a news release from the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office.

The drawing, which appears to have been done in blue-ink ballpoint pen, was drawn on a student’s homework assignment. The student wasn’t identified.

An investigation began after a staffer at the school, Port St. Joe Elementary, alerted a school resource officer about the “disturbing” image, Sheriff Mike Harrison said.

The drawing depicts a stick-figure gunman firing at a line of stick-figure people. Two of the stick figures appear to lie dead in pools of blood. Alongside the gunman are the words “Pew Pew Pew.”

Meanwhile, the drawing also features a burning schoolhouse, replete with bell-tower. Another stick-figure person who appears to be engulfed in flames is running from the school. “Ahh! It burns!” read the words beside the person.

Harrison said investigators concluded that Edwards made the drawing. Edwards was arrested even though the Sheriff’s Office said “there is no reason to believe that Edwards was going to carry out the threat.”

“Our country has been affected one too many times with horrific school tragedies,” Harrison said in the news release. “We take matters like this very seriously.”

According to NBC News, Edwards was being held on $150,000 bond pending a Jan. 2 court date. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $10,000, NBC News reported.

WJHG-Ch. 7 reported that Gulf County Schools Superintendent Jim Norton issued this statement: "As always, student safety continues to be of the utmost importance. This action was perceived as a potential threat and immediate action was the only recourse. These matters will never be taken lightly and they may not be simply considered erring on the side of caution."

brettclarkson@sun-sentinel.com

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