- July 26, 2024
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Multiple schools throughout Flagler County received threatening phone calls on May 15, resulting in lockdowns and an increased law enforcement presence on school grounds.
Buddy Taylor Middle School, Wadsworth Elementary School, Old Kings Elementary School, First Baptist Christian Academy and Suncoast Community School were all involved in the anonymous swatting calls received throughout the day, according to various social media posts from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office and Flagler Schools. Just before 7 a.m., Buddy Taylor Middle School received an anonymous phone call threatening to kill everyone at BTMS.
The FCSO and Flagler Schools initiated a lockdown on BTMS and Wadsworth Elementary School — which neighbor each other — while FCSO deputies investigated the call. This was the second time in two days that FCSO had received a threatening call against BTMS, a FCSO Facebook post said.
The first call came in on May 14 to the FCSO's non-emergency line. Over an hour and a half, the FCSO cleared both schools while Flagler Schools redirected the incoming BTMS busses to Indian Trails Middle School where parents could pick up their children. Some students and teachers were inside BTMS, which begins classes at 7:30 a.m., while Wadsworth was empty, according to the radio report notes from the FCSO.
After the schools were cleared, both schools resumed their normal schedules, though Flagler Schools announced it would be excusing any absences on May 15, a Flagler Schools Facebook post said.
Around 3 p.m. on May 15, the FCSO posted on its Facebook page that another threatening phone call had been made, this time against Old Kings Elementary School.
At the same time, the Bunnell Police Department received notice from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office that a "caller made threats to '201 Moody Blvd,'" according to a BPD Facebook post. First Baptist Christian Academy is located at 201 E. Moody Blvd and Suncoast Community School is at 201 W. Moody Blvd.
All three of those schools were cleared of any threats as well. The FCSO is investigating all of these calls, according to a statement from a FCSO Facebook post.
"We are actively investigating the calls as 'Swatting Calls,' a rising trend nationwide where a caller makes fake reports of shootings or bombs that draws an onslaught of SWAT teams or other law enforcement presence and cause schools to lockdown," the statement said. "In most instances, the caller is a current or former student. If you have any information regarding these recent calls, please call our non-emergency line or submit a tip."
Anyone with information on these calls can submit a tip to the FCSO through the following ways: Call FCSO at 386-313-4911; Email [email protected]; Submit a tip on the FCSO website; Submit a tip in the FCSO app.
