ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities in St. Johns County, Florida, announced Friday that a 14-year-old middle school student faces multiple felony charges as an adult after an investigation uncovered homemade firearms, explosive devices and a conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Sheriff Robert Hardwick said he believes law enforcement prevented a tragedy, calling the case "heinous and atrocious."
Julian Davis, a Switzerland Point Middle School student, is charged with eight felonies, including multiple firearms and explosives offenses and conspiracy to commit robbery with a firearm. He remains in custody following his arrest in April.
A 13-year-old friend, also a Switzerland Point Middle School student, faces one charge of conspiracy to commit robbery with a firearm. That teen was released after spending 21 days in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Hardwick said.
The investigation began in late April after the St. Johns County School District received an anonymous tip through FortifyFL, a platform established after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting for reporting suspicious activity involving juveniles.
The tip included video of an April 16 conversation on the Telegram app between the two teens, according to an arrest report. In the alleged plot, they planned to rob an unknown individual at gunpoint behind a grocery store and split the proceeds.
The conversation also contained pictures and videos depicting ammunition, pipe components and zip ties. One image showed a clear bottle with an unknown yellow liquid wrapped in duct tape with an apparent fuse affixed to its side, the report said.
During a search of Davis's home, authorities found three homemade firearms, ammunition and zip ties constructed into handcuffs. Two of the seized firearms, both shotguns, successfully expelled a projectile during a functionality test by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The search also revealed suspected explosive components, handwritten notes detailing firearm construction and a tactical vest adorned with white supremacy drawings. Other items reflecting white supremacist ideology, including the book "The Great Replacement," were also found in the teen's room, Hardwick said.
Digital forensics dating back two years indicated Davis was allegedly obsessed with mass shootings and stabbings. Hardwick said the case presented "a much bigger picture than just a robbery of that individual" and said a written manifesto was discovered.
St. Johns County School District Deputy Superintendent Paul Abbatinozzi confirmed neither teen is permitted to return to the school district. Superintendent Brennan Asplen said there was no direct threat to Switzerland Point Middle School itself, praising the FortifyFL tip line for enabling proactive intervention.
The investigation by the Sheriff's Office and the ATF is continuing. Sgt. Gene Tolbert said "nothing is off the table" regarding future charges, including potential charges against the teenagers' parents.
Hardwick stressed the importance of parental involvement, saying the 14-year-old's mother was aware of her son's fascination with fires and explosives as well as a homemade "pop gun." Davis previously pleaded not guilty to initial charges and is scheduled for arraignment next month after the filing of additional charges this week.
