COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – Columbia County High School was placed on lockdown Thursday morning after a mistaken report of an armed person on campus, the school district said.
About 30 minutes later, the school district said the report was actually due to a United States Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) student who is on their drill team. The student was spotted with a non-functioning drill rifle which is only used for ceremonial purposes.
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The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the campus and normal operations resumed around 9:15 a.m.
The Sheriff’s Office shared a photo of the rifle in question and said the student had taken the rifle home to practice and brought it back to school Thursday morning.
“As you can see, this would be a concerning sight to someone who does not know that information. Another student saw this and immediately reported the concern. We commend that student for their actions,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “While we know it is extremely concerning to experience a lockdown with such a large law enforcement response, we will respond accordingly to ensure the safety of our schools. The school will be addressing procedures for JROTC to help avoid these types of situations in the future. We want to thank our parents for understanding and our partners with the school district and all of the other responding agencies who continue to work with us to keep our schools safe,” a Facebook post from the Sheriff’s Office reads.