TAMPA, Fla. – A dispute between children earlier this week led to the arrests of two boys, ages 12 and 15, after a loaded handgun turned up on a school campus and threats surfaced online, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Investigators traced the incident back to an off-campus fight on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. During that altercation, police say 12-year-old Torrey Eldridge pointed a flare gun at 15-year-old Thor Mangas and several other children, threatening to shoot them.
The next day, Tuesday, Sept. 15, Mangas brought a fully loaded firearm to school. School officials and officers acted on a tip from a student and took Mangas into custody on campus without incident. Authorities confirmed that Mangas had not made direct threats against students, teachers, or staff before officers found the weapon…