ORLANDO, Fla. – A “prank” near Lake Nona Middle School on Wednesday evening sparked a heavy response by law enforcement, according to the Orlando Police Department.
According to the city, a call for service was made somewhere in the 13700 block of Narcoossee Road, near the school.
The call was listed as a possible armed threat or assault. The police department said the incident turned out to just be a prank.
Police on Thursday also said an officer’s rifle accidentally discharged during the search of the school’s property. No one was injured.
Orange County Public Schools said that two hours after dismissal, Lake Nona Middle School was placed on lockdown due to “reports of an unauthorized individual on campus.”
“All students and staff that remained on campus were safe. Law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the school, nothing was found,” OCPS said.
An internal investigation was launched, according to police, due to the accidental discharge and the officer undergoing additional training.
Meanwhile, School Board member Maria Salamanca issued a statement after the incident, which reads as follows:
“Yesterday, a lockdown took place after regular school hours during the After School All Stars program. This is not an OCPS program. It is staffed by the City of Orlando. Staff contacted 911 initially, and there is no evidence that this situation was caused by a ‘prank’ or a ‘swatting’ call.
Officers from Orlando Police and other agencies immediately responded, secured the campus, and conducted a thorough search of school property. No armed individual was located.
While clearing the building, there was an accidental discharge of an officer’s service weapon, which is being investigated separately by Orlando Police.
Although this incident was a false alarm, this reaffirms our ability to respond quickly to future incidents in our schools to keep students and faculty safe. We are thankful for our partners at Orlando Police and the many agencies that responded.
OCPS will be meeting with the city staff from After School All Stars to review the protocols that led to the 911 call and to discuss improvements that will help ensure greater consistency and clarity moving forward."
OCPS School Board Member Maria Salamanca
No additional information has been provided at this time.