OCALA, FL (352today.com) – UPDATE 12:48 p.m.: We spoke with Kevin Christian, Marion County Public Schools Director of Public Relations, on the scene at Horizon Academy. He says, “We believe a student from this school actually phoned in a threat to 911 and law enforcement responded en masse, in big force… as we hope and pray they always will and we appreciate that they do. Fortunately, they did not find any security threat on campus. But nevertheless, they searched classrooms. They searched pretty much everybody on campus to make sure who was here was supposed to be here. We realize this is a big inconvenience for the community. But we’d rather err on the side of caution with safety in mind every time.”
https://youtu.be/90zkJBrETSY
UPDATE 12:06 p.m.: Parents have now began picking up their children from the school.
UPDATE 11:38 a.m.: MCSO deputies say the school is all clear.
“We believe a student from this school actually phoned in a threat to 911 and law enforcement responded in mass,” said Marion County Public Schools Director of Public Relations Kevin Christian.
Christian says fortunately after searching classrooms and nearly everyone on campus, deputies did not find any threats at the school.
“We realize this is a big inconvenience for the community but we’d rather err on the side of caution with safety in mind, every time,” added Christian.
UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: MCSO says units at the school have not located any threat to the safety of students and staff.
They say they are continuing the investigation into the call for service. No injuries to students or staff have been reported.
ORIGINAL 10:41 a.m.: The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) says there is a large law enforcement presence at Horizon Academy in Ocala.
MCSO says the school is currently on lockdown as deputies respond to a call for service at the school which is located on Marion Oaks Drive.
A post on the sheriff’s office Facebook page says “school officials and law enforcement have placed the students on lockdown until deputies can ensure there are no threats to the students and staff.”
Deputies ask parents to NOT come to the school to pick up child.
School officials and the MCSO say they will notify parents once everything is clear.