Fort White High goes on lockdown after 3 arrested for making threats; turns out to be false alarm

FORT WHITE, Fla. — Action News Jax’s cameras were rolling as more than a dozen first responder vehicles sped towards Fort White High School in Columbia County around noon Tuesday.

Our crew arrived on the scene just as the “all clear” was given.

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The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office explained in a social media post that a person was shooting targets nearby and the school was being lifted off lockdown.

“I pulled over and I’d seen the rest responding very quickly and I just, I knew I had to get here,” Columbia County parent Kristen Pugh said.

The commotion caught the attention of several local parents, like Pugh, who were already on edge after three students were arrested over the past three days and charged with making threats against the high school.

Pugh thanked God the incident Tuesday turned out to be a false alarm.

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“Yes. Thank God it is. I could only imagine if it was a real active shooter after the threats from yesterday,” Pugh said.

The local sheriff and superintendent were unavailable for comment Tuesday, but Columbia County School Superintendent Alex Carswell did release a statement to parents.

“Please monitor your child’s social media activity,” Carswell wrote. “You may think your child would not do something like this and they may not, but they may have a friend who does. If you see something, say something!”

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Pugh told Action News Jax she’s hoping for more answers and transparency from local officials.

“Is my kid safe? How many lockdowns do they have per year? Is this a common reoccurrence? How safe is this school?” Pugh said.

The superintendent, state attorney, and sheriff will all participate in a press conference Wednesday morning to provide an update on the situation.

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