2 teens charged with making threats toward African American baseball player at Bishop Snyder

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two teenagers were arrested Monday in connection with threats made against an African American student at Bishop John J. Snyder High School, according to reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

The teens, who News4JAX is not naming because of their age, each face one count of making written threats to kill or do bodily injury — a second-degree felony.

News4JAX reported Monday that alleged racist comments had surfaced, along with threats on social media, against the only African American student on Bishop Snyder’s baseball team.

In a group chat called “Snyder baseball,” there were allegedly multiple comments made, including “hate them even more than black people,” “[explicit] Asians,” and “when’s white history month?”

There was a discussion in the group about using the N-word and another discussion about threatening to break the African American baseball player’s elbow.

There was also a photo of a teen holding what appears to be a rifle.

The African American baseball player’s family posted images of the chat on social media.

“My family has been targeted and it’s one of the most challenging things we’re facing right now,” a post reads. “The threats made on my son and our family have been overwhelming to say the least. I pray everyone remains safe and Bishop Snyder does the right thing, because racism is not a joke. If we don’t stand for something we will fall for anything!”

The Sheriff’s Office spoke with two other students who were aware of the Snapchat threats, according to the arrest reports obtained Tuesday by News4JAX. They each told police they were unaware of any plan by the two suspects to harm the African American baseball player, the reports show.

According to the reports, his parents told JSO that they had tried to resolve the issue with the baseball coach and principal but nothing happened.