After Insensitive Whitney Houston Tweet, Metro Detroit Teen Sorry

LIVONIA, Mich. (WJBK) -- The death of Whitney Houston sparked a ton of debate, but in Livonia that debate became a fight over racism and hate speak versus free speech.

A senior at Franklin High School in Livonia posted this on his Twitter page. "Whitney Houston is dead, well one less [n-word] in this world. #gettingcloser" The tweet caused a social media war, a spew of angry backlash and even threats of violence from complete strangers.

"Did he really just post this on Twitter? I was shocked. I was amazed. I was stunned that like some kid, even if you are feeling like this, that you have the guts to go out and put it on a Twitter post for the whole world to see," said one person.

Click the second video to see an update from Wednesday's edition of FOX 2 News.

"We talked to an assistant principal at the school. He said it was freedom of speech. We talked to the head cop at that school. He said it was just freedom of speech. [There's] nothing that they can do about it."

"Certainly it was an offensive and insensitive comment that was made by the student," said Donna McDowell.

She explained the superintendent's office was not even aware of the tweet until we told them about it. She said Andrew Vandenbussche will have to meet with administrators, but since it happened off school grounds, it becomes a home issue.

"We look at the parents when its happening outside of school to be monitoring what their students are doing," McDowell said.

We reached out to Vandenbussche on Twitter to see if he wanted to explain his tweet. It took some convincing. He was worried that our Maurielle Lue was a student who was trying to trick him and beat him up, so he agreed to meet us at the Livonia Police Department. He said he just wants to apologize so he can put this whole thing behind him.

"I really honestly didn't mean it one bit. I don't know why I put it," Vandenbussche told us. "I just want it to be over."

"You were worried to come here because you thought I was some other kids trying to beat you up. Have you been getting a lot of threats?" Lue asked him.

"I did on Twitter a lot by a couple people that I've never met before in my life. Don't even know who they are," he responded. "I'm just watching my back."

"Is this language that you normally use? Do you use it at home?" Lue further asked.

"No. It was just a vulgar joke, and I really, honestly shouldn't have said it," he replied.

"Why would you say something like that in the first place?" Vandenbussche was asked.

"I honestly don't know," he said.

The teary-eyed twelfth grader told us he is sorry and that he didn't think anyone would see it. Vandenbussche said now he will think twice before sending his tweets.

"What's the biggest lesson that you've learned from all of this?" Lue asked him.

"Be polite towards everyone and treat others like you would want to be treated," he told us.

A valuable lesson for a young boy in school.