Boca Ciega High School Lockdown Ends After Search for Masked Intruders

Two hours and five minutes. That is how long Boca Ciega High School remained in lockdown on Monday, Nov. 2, following a report of three masked individuals carrying knives on campus. The Gulfport Police Department received the initial call at approximately 10:17 a.m.

The incident began when a caller alerted authorities to the suspected intruders. Officers responded to the school and initiated a search of the grounds. During the lockdown, police broke a window to enter a section of the building that is typically off-limits to students. This area was identified as a potential hiding spot. While some residents in the vicinity reported hearing a gunshot, Captain Thomas Woodman of the Gulfport Police Department stated that no firearms were involved in the incident.

Woodman noted that the sound heard by neighbors could have been caused by the window breaking. He added that officers did not find any shell casings or other evidence of a firearm at the scene. Multiple agencies supported the response, including the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Pinellas County Schools Police, the Indian Shores Police Department, and personnel from several fire departments.

Officers conducted a thorough search of the area during the lockdown period. They found no active threats and reported that no injuries occurred. Surveillance cameras at the school captured footage of a person matching the description of the intruders fleeing the campus. The Gulfport Police Department is currently working to identify that individual.

The school lifted the lockdown at 12:22 p.m. Following the all-clear, the school sent a message to parents regarding the incident. The search concluded with no threats found on the premises.

The primary focus of the investigation now shifts to identifying the person seen fleeing in the camera footage. Police confirmed that the lockdown was lifted after a comprehensive search of the facility.

The incident concluded with the school reopening its doors to students and staff after the two-hour closure. The search for the fleeing individual continues under the direction of the Gulfport Police Department.