HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) – Two schools in Hollywood received the all clear hours after they were placed on lockdown, as police conducted an investigation that was triggered by a threat, officials said.
7Skyforce hovered above Hollywood Police officers at Hollywood Hills High School, located just east of U.S. 441, just after 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Two officers were seen in one of the buildings holding long rifles.
Investigators said Hollywood Hills High and Stirling Elementary were the two campuses that were placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution after someone made a threat to the Hollywood Police Department, claiming they were inside one of the school’s bathrooms.
Authorities said officers and police dogs went classroom by classroom on both campuses to make sure all students were accounted for. Students were hidden in dark rooms and silent as investigators searched.
Officers shut down a portion of Stirling Road while they investigated.
Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn said a secondary search resulted in one of the police dogs finding something suspicious.
“Which would call for an evacuation and also called in additional local law enforcement,” he said.
While that search was underway, 7News cameras captured students being moved outside of their classrooms. Hepburn said they were taken to their schools’ athletic fields.
Meanwhile, concerned parents waited just outside the schools’ campuses. 7News cameras also captured long lines of cars surrounding the school’s parking lot.
“This is terrible. you know? This is terrible, to see many, many police, [there are more] coming. I don’t know what happened inside; I have my two daughters inside,” said a parent.
A BCPS spokesperson said the principal at Hollywood Hills High “has remained in communication with parents and families throughout the day to keep them updated on the situation.”
According to BCPS, both schools received the all clear just before 1 p.m. and proceeded with an early release for students.
A school officer was seen speaking to parents about dismissal procedures.
In an update on the department’s Instagram account, a Hollywood Police spokesperson wrote, “The Hollywood Police Department has completed its safety assessment of Hollywood Hills High School. The campus has been rendered safe, and there are NO CREDIBLE THREATS at this time.”
Hepburn advised parents that there is a reunification area in a parking lot on the southwest corner of Stirling Road and North 46th Avenue.
Students, however, remain frustrated that their school day was ruined.
“They wasted our entire day doing absolutely nothing,” said one student.
“It’s just a fear and people joke about it while we’re in class trying to be quiet,” said a second student.
“I was working. It was annoying, really annoying. It’s nonsense,” said a third student.
Students said they ended up being outside in the hot sun for many hours and preferred to be inside their AC-cooled classrooms getting on with their day.
Officials said whoever makes these type of threats will be prosecuted.
Thankfully, nobody was injured.
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