Ocala, Fla. — Students in Marion County are returning to school for the first time after the alleged school shooter who is accused of shooting a student at Forest High School describes what happened.

Sky Bouche, 19, is facing several charges, including one count of terrorism, for the Friday, April 20, shooting.

 

 

 

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said he would be increasing security because of a comment the shooter made about how he could possibly go on another school shooting in the future.

After Bouche spoke with detectives, Woods promised to beef up security at all schools across the county, especially at Forest High School at 5000 SE Maricamp Rd., where the shooting happened.

The move is a direct response to what the alleged school shooter told authorities after he was arrested.

Bouche also told Spectrum News from the Marion County Jail on Friday night of how he planned the alleged attack.

"I drove early in the morning at 8:30 because there'd be no resource officers. I walked up the stairs ... with the shotgun, guitar case and my backpack with a tactical vest," he described.

Investigators say the 19-year-old man fired into a door, hitting a 17-year-old student in the ankle.

In a news release, the Marion County Sheriff's Office offered a possible motive as to what led to the shooting.

"… Bouche told detectives that he was planning on conducting some type of shooting on Friday the 13th, but he changed his mind. He then began researching different types of mass shootings and chose to target a school because he thought it would gather more media attention. Bouche also expressed to detectives that he felt ignored, and made statements that he could potentially conduct another shooting in the future," the Sheriff's Office stated.

In response, Woods announced he would make sure that starting Monday there would be more law enforcement presence at schools across the county.

"We will have officers and deputies presence on every school campus starting Monday morning," he said.

The Ocala Police department will also be providing more security at schools.

They already had school resource officers at every public middle and high school, but beginning Monday, the Ocala Police Department OPD will be reallocating 14 officers to provide a heavier police presence at every public and private school, including elementary schools throughout the town.

A school resource officer named Jim Long was able to arrest Bouche within three minutes of him firing his weapon.

In his jail interview, Bouche told Spectrum News he could have hurt more students if he wanted to.

Bouche is charged with the following:

  • Terrorism
  • Aggravated assault with a firearm
  • Culpable negligence
  • Carrying a concealed firearm
  • Possession of a firearm on school property
  • Possession of a short-barreled shotgun
  • Interference in a school function
  • Armed trespassing on school property