District says officers seized a knife and a note; two teens now face attempted murder counts.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Two teenagers at Lake Brantley High School were arrested Friday after officers searched a student’s bag and found a knife and a written note during a threat investigation, according to police and the school district.
The case is drawing attention to how anonymous reporting tools are used on large high school campuses. Altamonte Springs police said the inquiry began with a tip that a student discussed harming another student. Officers identified two teens during their response to the campus and said both were taken into custody on premeditated attempted murder allegations. Administrators notified families that the situation ended without disruption to classes. Investigators have not released the note’s contents or said how the two teens know the student who was reportedly targeted.
Police said they received the report Friday and engaged the student referenced in the tip at Lake Brantley. A search of the student’s belongings produced a knife and the note, authorities said. Detectives then identified a second teen they believe was involved and arrested that student as well. Ninth-grader Andrew Bano called the news “disheartening,” saying it was difficult to learn classmates were accused of planning violence. Parents outside campus said they learned of the incident from a district email shortly after dismissal.
In that message, Seminole County Public Schools thanked the person who used the district’s anonymous reporting option and said the student named in the tip was taken into custody without incident. The district said a second student was also arrested after police determined they were involved. No injuries were reported, and the school remained on a normal schedule Friday. Police have not detailed whether the knife was displayed or whether threats were made directly to the alleged target. The department said more information will be released as interviews and evidence reviews continue.
Friday’s arrests came weeks after a separate threat at Lake Brantley that was later determined to be a hoax, parents said. That earlier case prompted a lockdown and a large law enforcement presence around campus before officials declared there was no danger. The back-to-back incidents have kept families on edge even as administrators emphasize that tips—credible or not—are reviewed promptly with law enforcement. Lake Brantley, among Seminole County’s largest schools, has leaned on its message to “say something” when students overhear threats in hallways or online.
Altamonte Springs police said both teens face premeditated attempted murder charges tied to the alleged plot. Prosecutors will decide which counts to file formally and whether to keep the case in juvenile court. The district said it will apply its code of conduct regarding weapons and threats, which can include expulsion. Any first court appearances could occur early next week, following typical juvenile case schedules. Officials did not release the teens’ names because of their ages.
Outside the campus Friday evening, parents described a mix of relief and fatigue. “After the recent threat, the initial reaction was worry and of course it was scary,” said Susan Tolksdorf, whose child is a freshman. Students said they were glad classes were not interrupted but also unsettled by the discovery of a knife and a note at school. As of Saturday, the department had not shared details about what the note said or how the reported target is doing.
Police said the investigation remains active through the weekend and that updates will be provided when available. District leaders said classes will proceed on a normal schedule while detectives complete interviews and review communications relevant to the case.
Author note: Last updated January 25, 2026.