5 Central Florida schools impacted by lockdowns, threats in 2 days
Stream FOX 35 News
ORLANDO, Fla. - Five schools in Central Florida have been impacted by either a threat or lockdown in the last two days. On Tuesday alone, three of those schools were placed on lockdown, and another had to be evacuated.
Winter Springs High School
On Monday afternoon, a water gun sighting triggered a brief lockdown at Winter Springs High School.
The "code red" was initiated out of an abundance of caution after school administrators and local law enforcement were alerted to students with a weapon on campus, according to a spokesperson from Seminole County Public Schools and the Winter Springs Police Department.
The school district said two students were seen with what appeared to be a green toy water gun.
Police made contact with the students and determined there wasn't an actual weapon on campus, nor was there a threat to students or staff.
The "code red" was lifted after officials determined there was no threat.
Oak Ridge High School
Oak Ridge High School was evacuated early Tuesday morning after the school received a concerning email that included a possible threat, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies cleared the school campus, out of an abundance of caution, and later gave an all-clear for students to return to class.
No other details were immediately released.
Narcoossee Middle School
Narcoossee Middle School was placed on a "yellow" lockdown on Tuesday afternoon as a precaution because of law enforcement activity in the area, a spokesperson for Osceola County Schools said in a statement.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, deputies were looking for a suspect with an active warrant in the area surrounding the middle school.
The suspect they were searching for was wanted for a non-violent crime and authorities stressed there was no active danger or threat in the area.
The lockdown has since been lifted.
New Smyrna Beach High School & New Smyrna Beach Middle School
New Smyrna Beach High School was placed in a "hold" at 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday and later was placed on lockdown as school officials investigated an alleged report of a weapon on campus, a spokesperson for Volusia County Schools told FOX 35 in a statement.
The school district spokesperson reported New Smyrna Beach Middle School was also placed on a hold.
The New Smyrna Beach Police Department also shared updates on the situation on social media.
At around 11: 38 a.m., police said both schools were placed on lockdown to investigate a reported threat.
New Smyrna Beach police officers and other law enforcement partners searched the high school for a possible gun on campus. There were no injuries reported, and they did not locate any firearms, officials said.
At 12:50 p.m., the lockdown at the middle school was lifted, police said.
As of Tuesday afternoon (1:10 p.m.), police said the high school remains on lockdown as law enforcement works to complete their search and begin to clear the campus. At this time, no weapons have been found, and no arrests have been made.