MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Beach Senior High School students have been dismissed after the campus was put on lockdown for hours while police investigated a phoned-in threat.
Miami Beach Police said a threat was received via their 911 call center on Wednesday.
“It was a threat that was made from somebody indicating that they were in the school,” Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements said. “We immediately went ahead and responded to the location, set up a perimeter, a command post and got resources here literally within minutes.”
According to police, someone said over the phone they had a weapon inside of the school, and they were willing to use it. Clements did not elaborate on the specifics of the weapon, saying it is part of their investigation.
A perimeter was established around the school in the area of 23rd Street and Prairie Avenue. Police said that all students and staff are safe, and no injuries have been reported.
“I heard in the announcements that there would be a code red,” said student Flor Perez, who recorded SWAT Team members searching the campus. “Like, at first, everybody thought it was a drill. Maybe this is not a drill at all.”
“They announced something in the speaker saying that we were in a code red lockdown,” a student said.
Aerial footage from 7Skyforce HD captured officers bearing rifles and donning other tactical gear underneath a tent set up near the campus.
“I thought it was a car accident, to be honest,” passer-by Sarah Krieger said. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of cars.’ There’s a lot more than it was about an hour, hour and a half ago. I hope everyone is OK.”
At approximately 2:18 p.m., police gave an update on Twitter stating officers are conducting a secondary sweep of the school grounds. Two hours later, police said officers conducted a thorough search, and they have not identified a threat to the school, and the campus has been secured.
“When we hear a weapon, we assume everything, whether it be a firearm, whether it be a knife, whether it be an explosive device,” Clements said. “We assume the worst, and we prepare for that.”
School dismissal was delayed due to the investigation, but students were let out at around 4:45 p.m.
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