JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the search continues for the man accused of fatally shooting a deputy in Nassau County, some schools in the Callahan area will be on a modified lockdown Monday.
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office will also have a heavy police presence in the area of Sandy Ford Road at US 301 in Callahan. There may be around 200 vehicles and deputies in the area, the sheriff's office said.
"Do not be alarmed," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "We are collecting evidence. We don't know how long this will take ... thank you for your patience."
First Coast News crews on the scene saw law enforcement officers from agencies including the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville Beach Police Department, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, Bradford County Sheriff's Office, Flagler County Sheriff's Office and more.
The Nassau County Dive Team and JSO Dive Team headed down Sandy Ford Road, in the direction of a pond. The Nassau County Sheriff's Office said officers in the area are working to collect evidence.
On Sunday, the Nassau County School Board announced that some schools including Callahan Middle School will be on a modified lockdown on Monday until further notice.
This means they will be open, but with limited movement within the halls of the school, the sheriff's office told First Coast News.
Buses will be running and if parents choose to keep their child home, the absence will be excused.
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office, joined by agencies from around the state, is searching a five square-mile area in the area for 35-year-old Patrick McDowell. As many as 300 personnel are involved in the search.