In a reassuring announcement, officials have confirmed the safety of the Mandarin High School campus, ensuring that classes will proceed as usual on Friday.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A concerning situation unfolded at Mandarin High School following the arrest of a student who threatened a school shooting on social media. The threat, made public Thursday night, prompted swift action by Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) and was resolved by Friday morning with the arrest of the student in question. Authorities have assured that there is no longer any threat to the school.
The alert was initially raised via the Fortify Florida app, a tool designed for reporting potential threats to school safety. Responding promptly, the Duval County School Police team launched an investigation overnight. According to a DCPS spokesperson, the student responsible for the online threat was apprehended “within hours,” showcasing the effectiveness of the response team.
In a preventative measure, Principal Sara Bravo announced that there would be an enhanced police presence at Mandarin High on Friday to ensure the continued safety and peace of mind for students, staff, and parents.
While the student’s identity remains confidential, DCPS officials have confirmed that the individual will face criminal charges for their actions, as stated in a Facebook post by the school district.
DCPS also provided a communication that Principal Bravo had sent to families regarding the incident, which was shared with First Coast News, offering further details and reassurances.
“Good morning Mandarin families, This is Principal Bravo I apologize for needing to call at this hour, but I wanted update you on the threat we received through Fortify Florida last evening. The threat was to carry out a shooting on our campus. Through the outstanding work of our school police department, the originator of the post has been located and arrested. There is no longer a threat to the school. We will still have a police presence to ensure our students, faculty and staff can put their mind at ease but again there is no threat to the school and all other school procedures will operate as normal. Again, I apologize for the hour of this message but I wanted to provide you with this update and I look forward to seeing our Mustangs as we make it a great Friday. Thank you to all those who have reported this threat via Fortify Florida. Have a Good Friday.”
