JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A loaded gun magazine found in a student's backpack prompted a code yellow lockdown Tuesday morning at First Coast High School.
The lockdown was lifted after police searched the campus and no gun was found.
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A code yellow lockdown is issued when there is a threat or incident with the school facilities. The lockdown allows essential movement only within the school.
Hugh McKey and Luis Payano said they were in class when the principal announced the lockdown over the loudspeaker.
"They said it on the announcements. The principal, Dr. (Alvin) Brennan, said, 'We're going to a yellow drill,'" McKey said. "We turn off the lights. We cover the doors that have windows with something, then we put our heads down and turn out the lights."
The two juniors said they were stuck like that as police showed up and searched a student's backpack.
"It's actually shocking, because with First Coast's reputation everyone would be like, 'That's nothing,'" Payano said. "But it's not as bad when you're inside it, so, yeah, it's kind of shocking."
Duval County Public Schools said the lockdown was implemented after someone identified a gun magazine with bullets in a student's backpack, but police said there was no gun in the backpack.
"I think it's getting really bad when these kids keep doing this, and I don't know why the school doesn't have more security than it does," parent Debbie Morris said.
The district said parents were sent notifications about the lockdown, but some parents said they didn't receive an alert.
Katrina Mathis said this case is a lesson for parents.
"They can't keep up with every child and more people need to be involved with their children's lives and know who their friends are," Mathis said.
The student, who was not identified as a boy or a girl, was not arrested but will be disciplined, according to DCPS. Officials did not specify what the punishment would be.