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Ernest Ward Middle Student Threatened Three Other Students With Knife On Campus, ECSO Says
October 8, 2021
An Ernest Ward Middle School student is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly threatening three other students with a knife.
Findley Barlow was charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of possession of a weapon on school property.
On Tuesday, Barlow allegedly showed a Swiss Army-type pocket knife to three students on campus before approaching them in a “threatening manner”, according to Amber Southard, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
There were no injuries reported in the incident.
Barlow was transported to the Escambia Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Comments
34 Responses to “Ernest Ward Middle Student Threatened Three Other Students With Knife On Campus, ECSO Says”
Lee wrote: “@Reader. Florida law has changed.”
It’s legal to post the kid’s name and mugshot. How do you think they got it? From the state or somebody. If it wasn’t legal, it would not be here because the newspaper and the TV couldn’t get it.
@Reader. Florida law has changed.
Im am a student there but I don’t know him but he looks like a football player. Im so glad though that I didn’t get a knife pulled on me and I hope that the friends that did have the knife pulled on them are okay. All I know is that we were on a code yellow for about 30 minutes.
My daughter goes to EWMS and she has no idea who the kid is but they were in code yellow for half of the 6th and 7th period but no one in her class knew what was happening but I hope he is kicked out of every school he tries to go to because I don’t need him pulling a knife on my kid. Also, he may have been getting bullied but he looks like a football player and most of them don’t get bullied most football players are popular. But I hope that the people who commented on here their kid(s) didn’t get a knife pulled on them.
@Mom…I’m proud of your children speaking up about the bullies, that’s something hard to do. I had grandchildren that went to that school and one was bullied, even though it was reported nothing was done. It’s a shame the adults won’t stand up for the children being bullied, I think they rather ignore what’s going on. Maybe time for different staffing. It doesn’t make it right for violence, then again if he has asked for help and no one there has helped they need to look at themselves being part of the problem.
Mom to 2 if this child was not getting bullied at the time it would be on camera
Mom 2 boys, check your kids fact telling. I can’t speak for all the victims, but the kid wasn’t bullied by all of them. Shame on you for posting something that could discount their feelings. Even if he was being bullied…taking a knife to solve your issues is never the answer. You are an adult. Do better adulting.
It’s sad to see him like that, I’ve known him for 2 years now and never thought he would do something. he was a good kid in school he was nice until one day he got mad at a girl and tried to start a fight. I don’t know really anything but I do know the people he pulled the knife out on. it will be different without him there and I truly hope he gets better
I’m pretty surprised at some of these comments. We are all grown adults right?
Kids will be kids and yes that means making bad decisions. We learn and we grow and we become adults that are held accountable for our actions.
I actually have sympathy for the young boy. No one knows the true story and probably never will. I hope the judge is understanding and gets him help rather than jail time.
“And I’m pretty sure posting his name and picture is against the law, he’s minor ( Knowledge from working for the sheriff)”
You need a little more on the job training. It’s legal.
I am a grandmother of 2 who attend Earnest Ward, one of my grandsons was bullied everyday because of his weight and he never brought a knife to school. What he did was report it to a teacher, then the dean and then myself. We must teach our children or grandchildren how to handle themselves in different situations and also to recognize that when a bully bullies you they are trying to take the attention off of themselves for some reason or another, to have people laugh at you instead of them. And for those who are raising bullies you need to take time with your child or children and show them love and kindness, treat them like they are human beings so they will know how to treat the next person. All of this could have been avoided, now you probably have children scared to attend school and one that my never be able to attend again. SMH!!
Yeah.. it sounds like alot of people are justifying what this boy did. I am not saying this boy was not bullied. What I AM saying is this boy was NOT bullied by the 3 boys that he pulled the knife on. It was not about him being scared and even if it was it he still had no right to bring a weapon to school and it was not a coincidence he brought it that day.
My children where there, he was being bullied. Those other children where throwing basketballs at him. Where was the teachers? Let me guess, it was a SUBSTITUTE teacher like half of the other classes. And I’m pretty sure posting his name and picture is against the law, he’s minor ( Knowledge from working for the sheriff)
Thanks dad for that comment. well this is another dad and you are right the kid was not bullied and it’s always he was bullied but we k ow and the kids know he was one trying to bully kids. You are right junior always the victim but let’s worry about junior because he can’t control himself and forget bout kids that could have been Stabbed and seriously hurt.
Bottom line kid has issues and has for years and me and the other parents involved will not allow him to do this to another kid.
This is what’s wrong with the world today when Junior does wrong everybody likes to play him as the victim this child was not bullied
Want to qualify what I wrote before: I am NOT condoning bringing a weapon to school. However, in the fifties most boys carried pocket knives to school. Bullies AND the bullied need help BEFORE something bad happens. I do not know any of these people, and one size does not fit all, but after seeing this update, I have a very strong idea of what kind of thing was going on. And, of course the bullied can go on do make bad choices if not redirected. AND, the bullies CAN change and become good citizens. They need help too. But, I have seen it work like I said before. My best friend since the third grade were just talking about how some that are not as popular went on to do well and some of the popular kids did not do so well. There are always exceptions to the rule.
To: Pat
That was my first thought. I could see it in his face. Shame on the ones who torment him.
To Findley: You look like a smart and nice looking boy. I hope you find a better way to deal with this. Maybe take a self defense course, and then ignore those bullies who for sure need to get some really special discipline. If that doesn’t work, you can defend yourself with what you learn in that SD course. They are cowards who bully. They are wimps, trying to cover their “wimpiness.” Ignore them and they won’t enjoy the evil they do so much. These are the ones that we don’t hear about after high school, unless for crimes. Those that are bullied, often go on to be very successful. Praying for you to stand tall. Praying for them to get a life and quit messing with yours.
No one knows the whole story. Including you “you don’t know the whole story.” You can’t just pick a side and believe every single thing bc that fits your narrative. I’m sure we’ll never know the full truth. At the end of the day, a lot of kids have bad lives and have been through a lot. It’s heartbreaking, but That doesn’t excuse threatening other children with a knife.
Anyone ever considered maybe this child was being bullied it’s happening and every middle and high school and Escambia county maybe he felt like he needed to defend himself not condoning bringing a weapon to school but being scared to go to school because somebody is going to may hurt you does weird things to people
Student brings knife to school, people lose their marbles. Student brings gun to party, yeeeeehawwwwwwww.
So two weeks suspensions means he’ll be right back on the bus with my son and back school! UNACCEPTABLE! I am immediately calling the School Board to speak with them about this! This is how kids get hurt/killed at school, when they let dangerous or unstable offenders back on campus! Any parent of an Ernest Ward student like myself should be calling the Superintendent ASAP to demand he be expelled and sent to an alternative school where he will be monitored more closely. Both for our kids safety and his own! I urge everyone to flood the Superintendents office and demand accountability and expulsion!
Grandma
He did not have more that one knife. Don’t make the situation worse than it is. He is a child who has dealt with a lot in his life, and yes has dealt with bullying. Not excusing him having the knife. When kids are scared they sometimes make poor choices.
I was there when it happened it was very scary me and him also grew up together since 3rd grade and it is sad how his life is going down hill so fast. He probably will be there for like 5 or more years and I hope he gets better and stops all of the bad things happening to him and gets help
Northernbratt
My grandnson did not bully this child he approached my grandchildren an pulled knife on him
And I hope you never have to console your child when they get off bus still shacken from what happened at school it could have ended in a bad way he could have been facing murder chargers maybe now they will get him some help he needs
wow. hopefully expelled. this is ridiculous! I agree, schools should have metal detectors at the doors!
Reader , I think his pic should be posted so everyone can see what he did. That’s the problem with society today ,.. Parents that lack parenting skills. Parents that think their kids do no wrong. If I were his mom , he would be embarrassed by his actions for sure !! !! Set an example parents ! These kids aren’t like the kids in the good ole days ! No consequences anymore. So sad
” this is not a mug shot, so why is his picture being put out for the world to see?”
This is his juvi mug shot. Look in the background. It’s jail.
Is it possible this student was being bullied?Three against one,in my opinion doesn’t seem fair.And I’m sure this child is a minor and this is not a mug shot, so why is his picture being put out for the world to see? Aren’t we starting a little early in the year for this kind of thing? And at EWMS,this stuff doesn’t happen in our part of the county…
“Also how is it even legal to post a picture and name of a minor?”
Because the law says it is legal.
Don’t make comments about a situation you don’t habe all the information on. You don’t know this child’s true history or what is going on. He has never done this before so you are wrong in saying that. Also how is it even legal to post a picture and name of a minor?
Expulsion he had more than one knife
This warrants expulsion, right? Not some lame suspension of 2 weeks? I think it would for high school but what happens in lower grades?
Why was the school not placed on lockdown since there was a weapon on campus being used to threaten students?
As grandma of one of the three students want to know how this is allowed to happen why don’t they have metal detectors at doors so students pass through this is not the first time this has happen they knew this child has a problem an needs help he just was released from juvenile detention I worry every day about my two grandkids that attended school there and have three more there in next coming years Stop this now protect our children
Thank you to the couch that believed my grandson an other boys an infestagated the child .Thank you boys for speaking up not did you save your life you stopped him from doing this to other students gets the help he needs
An I’m Praying for that child an his family as they go through this that he