DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - The start of the school week began with a rough start in both Miami-Dade and Broward after police had to investigate two separate threats.
First on Monday, all four Nova schools were placed on lockdown because someone threatened to “shoot up” one of the campuses.
Nova High, Nova Middle, Nova Eisenhower Elementary and Nova Blanche Foreman Elementary schools were all locked down while police investigated the threat.
According to Davie Police detectives, a caller said someone was going to shoot up the high school, located at 3600 College Avenue. Police swept the area but determined that the threat was not credible.
“Shortly after 11 a.m., someone called the school making threats to come and shoot the school,” said Davie Police Sgt. Mark Leone. “School resource officers were in the area. He got the phone, asked the person ‘when.’ The person said ‘now’ and hung up.”
Leone said officials then put the call out on the radio. About 20 police officers responded to Nova High to lock the campus down and evacuated classrooms.
“They said we were going into a Code Red,” said student Victoria Brenzo.
Some students got on the floor while others hid.
“I went into the teacher’s lounge, and I was stuck there with six other kids in a little room,” said student Morgan Ellenberg.
David Forbes, who also attends Nova High said school officials didn’t take any chances.
“They had us in the back room. They put the TV in front of the window,” Forbes said, “and they put a board in front of the other window to make sure no one was able to get in.”
It was a terrifying day for parents across the county who heard about the ordeal.
“There was a threat called into Davie Police Department,” said parent Jackie Brenzo. “I cried the whole way here, and I got here as fast as I could. We’ve been outside for an hour and a half waiting for the kids.”
Michael Thompson said he was communicating with his children during the lockdown.
“She said everyone is OK. They’re just locked up in the cafeteria,” Thompson said. “They’re on lockdown in the cafeteria, so I’m talking to her now.”
Parents said they’re living on high alert with so many school threats happening.
“I’m just wondering when this is gonna stop,” said parent Andrews LaGuardia. “This is every other day. Almost every moment we’re worried about sending our kids to school.”
This comes after there was a stabbing at Nova High on Friday. In that case, two students were fighting, and that’s when one stabbed the other with scissors.
“It was actually quite terrifying because of what happened on Friday,” Forbes said, “and everything that’s happening in the world.”
“Because this is such a serious threat, officers from Davie went in, checked every single building, every possible area — as well as the parking — to determine the threat was not credible,” Leone said.
The other threat happened at Miami Springs Middle School over social media, Monday.
The threat was posted on an Instagram Story, which said: “ALL OF Miami springs middle school kids are gonna die when i shoot up the school!”
Miami-Dade School Police officers investigated that case.
Back over at Nova High School, police said they have several leads and hope to find the prank caller.
“I just want to have my kids safe,” LaGuardia said. “I was kind of thinking, my wife and I, maybe we should just home-school our kids, and we won’t have to deal with this anymore.”
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