Ed White High School was on lockdown due to a report that a firearm was on campus.
Police investigated the claim, according to a release from Duval County Public Schools, and did not find a firearm on campus.
Because the lockdown occurred just before dismissal, procedures were delayed. DCPS alerted parents with the lockdown information and later sent out the following message:
Good Afternoon parents and guardians of Ed White High School. This is Principal Battest. I want to assure you that all students and staff are safe, but we did have an incident today that prompted a lockdown and delayed dismissal. Just before students were to be dismissed for the day, we received a student tip about a possible firearm on campus. The school was immediately placed on a Code Red lockdown and police began investigating the tip.
A thorough search of the school was conducted by law enforcement. No firearm nor an individual with a firearm was located. We were on a Code Red for approximately 30 minutes before we were advised the lockdown could be lifted and dismissal procedures could begin. Thankfully, students and staff remained safe throughout the incident.
We are grateful for the cooperation and responsiveness of students, staff, and law enforcement. We also appreciate the patience shown by parents during this time. The safety and well-being of our students and staff are important to us. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (904) 693-7620. Thank you and have a good day.
All students and teachers were safe.