GULFPORT, Fla. — A tip that three people in ski masks were carrying knives at Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Fla., sent the campus into a precautionary lockdown on Monday morning, but a full sweep by officers turned up no threat and nobody was hurt.
The first report reached Gulfport police at about 10:17 a.m., and the campus at 924 58th St. S. was sealed soon after. Help came from several directions: the school district’s own police force, Indian Shores officers, deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and several fire crews all joined the local department at the scene.
With the doors locked, officers moved through the building and grounds room by room. The search found nothing dangerous, and the campus was cleared.
Around 12:22 p.m., the school messaged families to explain what had happened and to let them know the lockdown was over, roughly two hours after the first call.
The case is not closed. Gulfport police said surveillance video from the campus shows someone who fits the description in the tip walking off school grounds. Detectives are now trying to figure out who that person is. Police did not say whether the video showed anyone holding a weapon.
The department thanked the other police agencies and firefighters who helped with the response.
Lockdowns like this one are a standard precaution when a weapon is reported on or near a school. Classes pause, doors stay locked and students shelter in place while officers check the grounds, and the all-clear comes only after the search is complete.
Parents with questions about the lockdown or campus safety plans can reach the school directly, and anyone who recognizes the person seen on the video is asked to contact Gulfport police.
Section: More St. Petersburg FL crime news
Filed under: St. Petersburg FL Public Safety News
