Bomb Threats Made To School Districts Across Florida: Reports

FLORIDA — Bomb threats were made against government buildings and hundreds of schools across Florida Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

Lee County School District officials learned about the emailed threat from the FBI and local law enforcement between 9 and 10 a.m., according to the Naples Daily News.

The threat claimed that someone had planted bombs in school buildings, NBC 2 reported.

Manatee County Schools also received a threat, Michael Barber, communications director, told Patch.

“All we know is that these threats went all around the state. We shared them with local law enforcement and they are looking into it,” he wrote in an email.

Hillsborough County Schools received threats, as well, Tanya Arja, chief of communications, told Patch via email. “Law enforcement investigated and have determined it’s a hoax. A similar email recently went out to courthouses, hospitals, state capitols, and other government entities across the nation.”

Glade County Schools wrote on its Facebook page that it also received an emailed bomb threat Wednesday.

“We are following our established safety and security protocols and working with our local law enforcement, school safety officers, and district staff to ensure all students and faculty are safe,” the district wrote in a post around 11:30 a.m. “Please be assured that the safety of our students is our top priority, and we are taking this threat seriously.”

In a statement, Collier County Schools officials said, “We are aware of the alleged statewide bomb threat circulating in regard to Florida district schools. We have been in communication with the Collier County Sheriff's Office, and they have informed us that, at this time, they have no information about a credible threat against Collier County Public Schools.”

Pasco County School District also received threatening emails.

“Law enforcement agencies, including PSO, are currently investigating this. There is not an immediate threat to any Pasco County school at this time,” the Pasco Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post. “As always, we encourage all citizens to report any suspicious activity and to remain aware of their surroundings.”

Multiple schools in Florida’s Big Bend area, including Leon, Madison and Taylor county school districts, received threats Wednesday, WTXL reported.

Students were evacuated from school buildings to a safe place on campus until officials were given the all clear by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Schools wrote in a Facebook post.

Patch has also reached out to Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sarasota school districts for comment.