GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Four bomb threats have been called in to a north Florida high school since the fall semester started last month, officials said.
The threats have disrupted operations at the school, sending students home each time and causing scores of law enforcement to rush to the school, officials said. The latest threat came in on Tuesday.
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They cause a huge strain on the school and law enforcement, Alachua County Sheriff’s Det. Art Forgey told the Gainesville Sun.
“When these were received, they obviously have to be taken seriously. The school district ends up having to shorten their school day usually by evacuating the students, we end up sending multiple units over to assist the students sometimes involving other agencies,” he said.
On Aug. 19, the agency sent 21 deputies to the scene, the Sun reported. Sixteen deputies were deployed to the second threat and seven were sent to the third.
Alachua County Public Schools sent a letter to Buchholz High School students and families detailing the severity of the situation if the threats continue, the newspaper reported. Anyone caught calling in a bomb threat will face “stiff penalties,” including an automatic expulsion.
“Obviously, a fake bomb threat can permanently affect the caller’s life. It is definitely NOT a joke,” the letter reads.