Westside High placed on lockdown twice in a week

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Westside High School was placed on lockdown for the second time in less than a week.

The principal called home to parents alerting them of the code yellow lockdown.

“I am calling to let you know that we have again placed the school on a code yellow as we manage through another anonymous tip — this time from a blocked cell phone number — alleging that a person was seen in the area of our bleachers with a firearm.”

The threat was similar to one made on Friday, Dec. 3, that also placed the school on a code yellow lockdown.

“While we are also investigating this as a possible false report of a threat, we are still taking appropriate precautions,” Principal Jamelle Wilcox said.

District officials said they would screen all students in the area of the threat and increase random checks throughout the day.

On Wednesday, students can expect to have their belongings screened as they enter school.

“If there is a credible threat or report, we will share that with you,” Principal Wilcox said. “I also ask that you please discuss the consequences of making a false report with your student. As you have experienced, this is incredibly disruptive to our school, and we will not tolerate intentionally false reports.”

Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson said false threats are a second-degree felony. If a computer is used to make that threat, it becomes a federal offense.

“These are very serious felonies — they’re violent felonies, which adds an additional emphasis on the crime for the judge,” Carson said.

Action News Jax asked DCPS what the consequences are for making a false threat and they shared the following statement:

Any form of communication that is/was posted that poses a school wide threat which causes serious disruption to the educational environment in which law enforcement had to be notified and threat assessment had to be performed to include but not limited to threats to shoot school/officials. Investigation with threat assessment must be presented to the Hearing Office with CCR # Police Notification/Consultation Required and BTA Team.

Special Note: Senate Bill 7026 any student who is determined to have made a threat or false report must be referred to mental health services identified by the school district for evaluation or treatment, when appropriate.

A code yellow lockdown means only essential movement is allowed throughout the school, but parents are allowed to pick up their children.

Many parents arrived at the school early to get their kids.

“I’m just taking precautions to make sure I get my child just in case. Who knows if it’s real, if it’s fake, or whether it’s a prank,” Nicole White said. “But to make sure my child is safe, you never know.”

Anyone with information about the threats is asked to call school administrators.

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