Parrish Community High School confirms threat investigation

PARRISH, Fla. (WWSB) - Officials at Parrish Community High School have notified the community that they are investigating an alleged threat. This comes on the heels of two lockdowns caused by medical emergencies at the school, sparking rumor and chaos among students and guardians.

The threat was sent in to the school’s FortifyFl reporting app. A letter sent home to parents said the threat was secondhand and was not specific in nature.

Parents and students at Parrish Community High School had a brief scare last Wednesday and Thursday due to two medical incidents that triggered a lockdown. A miscommunication caused chaos and it was widely believed there had been an intruder on campus. Parents and students have criticized the school for the manner in which the lockdowns were handled. Over the weekend, school officials held a meeting with the community to discuss the lockdowns and what changes needed to happen. They also addressed rumors that there was a shooter on campus.

“We discussed, in detail, the incident that occurred Thursday and debriefed on what actions worked and what needs improvement.  One result of the meeting was a commitment to a better-coordinated message to all students, parents, and community as events unfold.  The County Government, Sherriff’s Office, and the School District will work on this immediately and all other after-action items presented. I do want to make it clear that the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that no shots were fired on our campus on Thursday. Whatever noises were heard came from the combination of school administrators responding to a medical emergency in a classroom and the presence of law enforcement on campus during the school-wide lockdown,” reads a statement from the school.

Here is the letter sent to parents and guardians regarding Monday’s alleged threat:

Parents, I am calling to give you the facts about a threat associated with our school today.

Unfortunately, another anonymous threat was posted on the FortifyFL reporting app. The threat was second-hand in nature and non-specific.

Our SRO and administration immediately began working with the Sheriff’s Office and District Security and once again the Sheriff’s Office has deemed the threat to be unfounded.

The Sheriff’s Office and District Security will continue to monitor the situation and as a precaution, additional security personnel will be present on and around the campus.

Our students are safe and we are having a productive school day.

As always, please stress to your students that participating in any type of threat against a school, even in jest, can lead to life-altering legal and school district consequences.

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