Sheriff Says "No Threat" To School After Rumors

Planned  Intruder Drill At School Alarms Community

CLEWISTON, FL. -- Hendry County Florida's Sheriff Steve Whidden reported this afternoon that there was "no threat to students" after rumors and Facebook postings appeared today about an incident as a Clewiston school.

Acting on a report made earlier in the morning by a concerned parent, Sheriff's investigators found that a planned "Intruder Drill" was to occur at one of the schools in the Clewiston area. Students were told about the drill and were told it would take place either Thursday or Friday. 

Investigators spoke with the original reporter of the incident, students, teachers, school staff and administrators who did confirm the drill was to take place.

Sheriff Steve Whidden said after investigating, "It has been determined there has been NO threat to do harm to Hendry County Students."

"As rumored and posted on Facebook, there was not at any time any report of a incident that was occurring at Clewiston Middle School or any other school in Hendry County," he said.

Whidden added, "I can tell you there is a shared concern by the Hendry County School District, that we will not take threats to do harm to our children lightly. Although we have had no threats, in an effort to ease the minds of parents, we will continue to have an additional law enforcement presence at all schools in both Clewiston and LaBelle."