- December 16, 2025
At 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 2, school administrators got wind of a rumor of a possible gang conflict to occur Friday, May 4, at Flagler Palm Coast High School. According to Director of Student Services Katrina Townsend, at 11:01 a.m. the same day, staff got to work interviewing students.
“We have interviewed more than 300 students,” she said. “(The rumor) appears to be completely unrelated (to gangs).”
Still, three additional Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies were indefinitely assigned to the high school campus May 2. Townsend also issued a phone message to parents, explaining that “At this time, we have found no validity to these rumors,” and that all schools will “maintain (their) normal daily routines.”
According to Townsend, the rumor was initially started by a small group of students who thought that it could result in a free day off school.
“Then it went out on Facebook and then on text,” she added. “It kind of spread a little bit like wildfire.”
But, ultimately, a rumor is just a rumor, Townsend explained. High school stuff.
“Except for the increased presence around the campus,” she said, “it’s just business as usual.”
No students have been disciplined at this time.
For more, see the Saturday May 5 print edition of the Palm Coast Observer.
