Manatee High students endure another lockdown as police investigate third confirmed threat

Students at Manatee High School were under a “shelter in place” situation for part of Wednesday after Bradenton police confirmed another threat to the school.

It’s the third confirmed threat to the school since the massive school shooting in Parkland on Feb. 14.

The threat was a video posted to the social media application Snapchat, Bradenton police spokesman Lt. Brian Thiers said. The post was made from a vehicle outside but near the school’s campus.

“We believe the threat is off-campus and we are working to figure out where that’s at right now, we have a good idea but we’re chasing some leads at this time,” Thiers said. The threat is specific to Manatee High School, even though it was off-campus, he noted.

At no time was there a danger of violence within the school, according to police.

Detectives are working with the State Attorney’s Office to determine what, if any charges will be filed.

Theirs said they have a person of interest in the threat, who is a juvenile former student, but they are not yet releasing any more information on that person.

Thiers and Manatee School District spokesman Mike Barber confirmed that the school was under a shelter in place as of 11:45 a.m. Students were later able to move about the school, but could not leave campus until school was dismissed as usual at 2:05 p.m.

Parents were not able to pick up their students until school dismissed.

Mandi Barkely lives across the street from the school. Her 16-year-old son attends Manatee High School, and was on the phone with her Wednesday morning during the shelter in place. Barkley said her son told her he was OK and that he was being told to stay in the classroom.

“This is stopping education,” Barkley said, frustrated.

The news of several threats to the school is concerning for her.

“I really don’t feel all that great,” Barkley said. “It’s been three straight days of this.”

But the news of an arrest in a previous threat does help her breathe a little easier.

Hours before the shelter in place, aside from the thud of slamming car doors, it was a quiet morning outside the Manatee High School campus as students filed through the school’s doors.

Two boys walking toward campus could be heard chatting about the recent news of the threats made to the school. They’ve heard of students not coming to school all week after word of the threats spread among the student body.

Bradenton police Tuesday said they have arrested and charged a 14-year-old Manatee High School freshman with threatening violence at the school after a note found last week threatened a shooting at the school on Thursday. A second note threatening violence at the school was found Tuesday. Thiers said officers arrested a freshman student in that case.

Threats were also reported at Braden River Middle School and Team Success charter school. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 14-year-old boy and charged him with a felony for making the threat against Braden River Middle School, as well as two 11-year-old girls in connection to the threat to Team Success.

“Well, it’s kind of frightening to see threats,” said Marbella Celis, a senior at Manatee High School. “All we have to do is be aware of our surroundings.”

Her parents didn’t want her to come to school this week, especially Thursday.

“There’s some people I know their parents didn’t want them to come this whole week, their parents don’t want them to get hurt,” Celis said.

As part of additional law enforcement presence at Manatee County schools, Bradenton police cruisers were parked outside the school, two at one entrance where students were being dropped off, another further down the street. A uniformed officer walked in front of the building.

Law enforcement officials and additional school district administrative staff have been positioned at Manatee County schools since last week. Superintendent Diana Greene said Tuesday the district will continue to keep additional officers at the schools for “as long as we feel like we need that.”

Police announced officers will continue to have an increased presence Thursday at schools, including Manatee High School.

Law enforcement officials and school district leaders warn that there are no jokes when it comes to these threats. They are taking any and all threats to schools seriously.

“I think people shouldn’t be joking about that I think it’s a really serious thing,” Celis said. “I mean, think about it, first you shouldn’t threaten people. It’s not really worth it if it’s just a joke and all the things that’s going to happen to you when you get caught.”

Greene said Tuesday if a student is caught, the district will “execute the full extent of our code of student conduct which means automatically a 10-day suspension and movement toward expulsion through the school district.” She added anyone who has been identified by law enforcement is not in school.

Despite the threats, Celis is still looking toward her future, which includes plans to go to college and study accounting. She said she feels safe at school, but thinks there should be more security to make it more difficult for people to get onto campus.

“Once it’s all over with, I think we should just get back on track and focus on graduating first, because graduation is coming up,” Celis said. “Just have to keep on going with life; you can’t let that stop us from coming to school.”

This story was originally published February 21, 2018 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Manatee High students endure another lockdown as police investigate third confirmed threat."