Last Updated: 3:50 p.m.
3:45 p.m. update–Old Kings Elementary and First Baptist Christian Academy at the old courthouse in Bunnell were both targeted with phoned-in threats similar to the one that targeted Buddy Taylor Middle School this morning. Sheriff’s deputies responded. Old Kings went into “secure status,” a response somewhat different from a full lockdown. The status was lifted at Old Kings around 3:30 p.m., and all dismissals and afterschool activities continued as schedule. This morning’s report is below.
For the second day in a row, Buddy Taylor Middle School is the target of a suspicious called-in threat that’s resulted in a lockdown before school started this morning and the turning away of students arriving for class. The lockdown was lifted around 8:40 a.m.
At 7:20 the flow of students on foot was away from school along Belle Terre Parkway and students on inbound buses were being redirected to another location, apparently either to have the opportunity to connect with parents or guardians or to be re-drive home. In neighborhoods around the school, students were also walking in the opposite direction than the normal morning flow, while others stood in their driveways.
Parents driving in their children were told either to stay in their cars or to go home. Some students were outside the school perimeter, huddled in small groups with crossing guards, waiting for further instructions. Most of the Buddy Taylor parking lot was already full with staff and faculty cars. Many of those staffers stood outside their cars, waiting, though some were in the building, on lockdown.
Numerous Flagler County Sheriff’s units were in the parking lot of the joint building between Wadsworth Elementary and Buddy Taylor Middle School. The Sheriff’s Office posted an alert on its Facebook page about a suspicious call that was being investigated.
“Right now they have a lockdown for the whole site,” Don Foley, the school district’s spokesman, said, the whole including Wadsworth Elementary. The Wadsworth campus had a smaller police presence. School there starts around 9 a.m., so most of the faculty had not yet started arriving, though a few were already there–also outside, in the parking lot.
On Tuesday, Buddy Taylor Middle School was the target of a swatting call, Foley said. Swatting is when an individual calls 911 to (falsely) report that a deadly emergency is unfolding at a particular location. Since dispatchers and law enforcement cannot take chances, the response is immediate. “They had a swatting call at one of the two schools, they checked it out and everything was fine,” Foley said. He said it was not yet clear whether today’s incident is a repeat of that.
It appeared that school could be cancelled for the day, at least at Buddy Taylor, though that was not confirmed. “The students that are on buses I am old will be going back home,” Foley said. But the district is communicating directly with parents, he said.
Shortly after 9 a.m., Foley said that all school buses had been redirected to Indian Trails Middle School where parents and guardians could pick up their children if they so chose. If not, they had the option of waiting out the emergency. Since the lockdown was lifted, the buses drove the remaining students back to Buddy Taylor Middle School, where classes were set to resume.
Parents still have the option of picking up their children from Buddy Taylor itself, but if they so choose, Foley said, they are asked to drive to the back of the school and pick them up from the gym, rather than drive to the front part of the campus.
The school day normally starts at 7:30 a.m. for students at Buddy Taylor (to 1:40 p.m.), and at 9:10 a.m. (to 3:30 p.m.) at Wadsworth Elementary. Wadsworth was given the all-clear to hold its classes as scheduled.
atwp says
Sad. Thank God the authorities are taking the threats seriously. Why would people make false claims? Why waste precious time making false claims and cause the school board and the different departments to use resources for crazy things. The world we live in.
Melly C says
It’s about keeping people scared and disrupting as much normalcy is possible. FCSO has to find the people responsible for this and throw the book at them.
Joe D says
These SWAT calls are LIKELY initiated by a student (too “smart” for his/or her own good), and with WAY TOO MUCH unsupervised FREE TIME, looking for a day off school.
Unfortunately, in the INSANITY of today’s world, you just can’t take the chance with our students’, teachers’ and staff’s safety. But, with the ability to trace phone calls (even so called anonymous “burner” phones)…even cell phones can be traced through what local cell tower(s) the call bounced off for the threatening call.
The “wasted” time, the cost of police and school security roll out, and the heightened ANXIETY for the school AND the community, isn’t a simple thing.
I hope, whomever initiated these threats (even if a student) are held accountable (even if it’s juvenile community service)…and not just a “slap on the wrist”…”Don’t do that again” admonishment, as they are turned over to their parents.
There are enough sources of stress and anxiety in our daily lives, without someone playing a PRANK, making everyone’s day that much more uncomfortable.
Sue says
You are correct on all counts!! I believe its a kid too.
Curious says
Maybe I’m not the smartest in the room but why on earth would you relocate students from one school under a threat to another school assuming that school couldn’t also be under the same threat that’s just plain stupid on the district and makes no sense what so ever
de says
why are people assuming its a kid calling in threats? why are kids transferred from one local school to another local school, that could be a trick by the caller? why are kids out in the streets waiting to hear what to do with crossing guards and even alone? Sounds like there’s no real plan or training for the kids. Why is everyone assuming its a hoax? When it comes to school safety, its not just safe to assume. If my kids were still school age, they would be home schooled. People are going crazy.
dave says
I hope they find the person (2) responsible for this and lock them up in the state prison regardless of age. Its occurring in the Orlando area as well. May 7th “Five schools in Central Florida have been impacted by either a threat or lockdown in the last two days.”. There was was a time when little children could go to school and learn, and not be afraid to actually go to school. What a sad world we now live in.
Cindy says
Totally agree
HayRide says
arnt they able to trace the calls, especially after two threats, they must be more sophisticated than whoever is doing this, are they actually able to hide
Kris says
Wow!!! Isn’t town growth great!
burner says
What does that have to do with a kid who most likely swatted the school. Swatting is an extremely dangerous and unfortunately a common practice. Education yourself next time
T says
No you do that cause it was nice here til the growth.
Sandy Hebscher says
Is that what caused no bus to show up for my child’s highschool pickup? Where was our automated update system? Thank goodness all are ok….. except the “pranksters” causing fear,funds and possibility of injury.
John says
PC keeps building and building and that town is getting way too big to handle what growth brings. Just drive down any road and see the traffic, there aren’t any more lines in the roads so out of town guest can’t see where they are driving. The street lights are synchronized so you go through one green light and all of a sudden the next one is red, no wonder the traffic doesn’t flow correctly.
Poorly run and operated.
Barry McDonald says
If it is a student someone will tell. Students have a knack for talking about these things. The sheriff department takes this quite seriously as does the schools.
blondee says
I hope the little shit understands that swatting is a felony in Florida and may spend some time in the gulag if convicted.
Dawn says
Why would they keep a group of kids out front of the school near the main road? Like sitting ducks. The FCSO response was awesome. Thank you for everything you do.
A boomer says
Swatting should be seen as a more punishable offense than what people make it out to be. Resources wasted and people at risk of being killed by the senseless actions of faceless people online. Lifetime sentence for swatters
JOE D says
To a BOOMER:
You are 100% correct, but as technology and digital crimes advance, the laws governing them, and the consequences for them, lag FAR behind in the legislature.
It can take forever to draft new proposals, discuss in committee, bring to the entire legislature, make revisions and the go for a formal FINAL vote. Then, the Governor has to sign (or VETO) it, possibly sending it back to the legislature for a veto OVERRIDE….not too much worry about needing VETO OVERRIDE vote, since our CURRENT legislators simply “rubber stamp” whatever Governor RON wants.
Right now our legislators are too consumed by banning books, banning DIVERSITY education in our colleges, trampling LBGTQ issues, SANCTIONING MICKEY MOUSE, and approving the sale of 5 gallon containers of WINE, than working on an issue that is DISRUPTING more school, churches, courts, and local politicians’ homes by the DAY.
Yes, the LEGAL consequences of SWATTING calls should DEFINITELY be increased (juvenile AND adult)!
Mona says
100% agreed.
atwp says
Pretty sure this is just the beginning. Hope this person or people will be caught soon.
Don Beeler says
Threats in Flagler County School District cost Taxpayers $184,711.98
We track school threats in over 100,000 schools in the United States.
I can provide four documents
• What school swatting threats cost taxpayers last year.
• What the recent Threats in Flagler School District cost taxpayers.
• A brochure – stopping swatting at schools.
• A brochure – stopping swatting in 911 centers.
Technology is available for as little as $1.50 per student to stop threats like today.