Building cleared after bomb threat forces evacuation of Wildwood Elementary in Sumter County

WILDWOOD, Fla. – A written bomb threat forced the evacuation of a Florida elementary school, deputies said.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday posted on X that it is investigating a threat at Wildwood Elementary School. According to a news release, the school received the threat through the mail around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Investigators said they were able to identify the origin of the letter and the sender but did not reveal their identity in the release. Deputies said they did not believe the letter was an immediate threat, but evacuated the school out of an abundance of caution.

“The school has been evacuated, and the school is being searched,” the post stated. “Every precaution has been taken.”

Students and staff were taken to First Baptist Church, officials said. The building was searched and no explosives were found. Classes resumed as normal.

Anyone with information about this threat should call the Sumer County Sheriff’s Office at 352-793-2621 or call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.