Security beefed up at Lake County middle school over gun threat

CLERMONT, Fla. – Security was increased Tuesday at a Lake County middle school because of a potential threat, but it proved to be false, officials said.

Lake County Schools said a student at East Ridge Middle School in Clermont on Monday overheard a classmate say he was going to take a gun to school.

The school principal initially said in a statement that deputies were unable to locate the student accused of making the threat or his parents. The principal said the student may live outside the school's attendance zone but was dropped off at a bus stop.

It was later determined that the threat was fake, officials said.

"In fact, we have no reason at this point to believe there was ever a credible threat made," school officials said in a statement. "We are urging parents to take this opportunity to talk to their children. We want them to say something any time they see or hear information that could jeopardize school safety. We want them to report it to a responsible adult immediately."

Officials said students can face serious consequences for making threats.

"Safety is our No. 1 concern, and we will do everything we can to maintain a safe learning environment for our students," officials said.

School threats have increased at Central Florida schools in the wake of a mass shooting at a South Florida school.

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