Orange County high school student flees during random inspection, causing lock out

Students can be randomly selected at any time for metal detection wand

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University High School campus was placed on lock out Thursday morning after a student fled when selected for a random metal detection screening, Orange County Public School officials said.

The school on Cougar Way was placed on lock out at 7:55 a.m. when a student was selected to be inspected with a metal detector wand and ran away. School officials said they placed the campus on lock out to search for the student.

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During a lock out no one can enter the school campus and students remain in their classrooms until the lock out is lifted.

The lockout was lifted by 10 a.m. and no weapons were found, OCPS officials said.

Orange County school leaders announced before the school year started that beginning this year, they’ll be using metal detector wands for random checks on students.

“Every day, any day, through the day, all day, our students can be checked and can be wanded," Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins.

The metal detecting wands were added after a new statewide mandate to address safety following the Parkland High school tragedy in South Florida.

[RELATED STORY: Orange County mayor, sheriff square off over school resource officers]

In March, Gov. Rick Scott signed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act into law following the Parkland shooting. It requires the presence of at least one school resource officer at every public school campus during school hours.

As part of the new law, Orange County schools also added more school resource officers this year, and even adding fencing and card readers at the front doors.


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