St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday that staff at Landrum Middle School received a call from a male stating that he was nearby, had a firearm and wanted to “kill children.”
Staff initiated emergency lockdown procedures, and an alert was sent to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Real Time Intelligence Center. Analysts at the center immediately took over school cameras as law enforcement personnel swept into the area.
School buses were diverted away from Landrum.
The youth resource deputy, already onsite, took immediate action to protect students and staff.
Due to its proximity to Landrum, Ocean Palms Elementary was placed on a soft lockdown while both schools and the areas around them were searched.
The lockdown was later lifted.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the number used to call the school was associated with an international calling code and the circumstances were consistent with a “swatting call.” “Swatting” is using a hoax emergency call to generate a law enforcement response.
The Sheriff’s Office Intelligence Unit is investigating the incident and working with federal authorities to determine the call’s origin.
The Sheriff’s Office issued a statement on its Facebook page informing the public to expect a large law enforcement presence at area schools following this incident.
