Update: Buchholz, Kanapaha cleared after bomb threats

Update (11:45 a.m.): Law enforcement has now cleared Kanapaha Middle School after finding nothing suspicious following Monday morning’s bomb threat.

Update (11:35 am): Law enforcement finished sweeping Buchholz High School and gave the all-clear after finding nothing suspicious following Monday morning’s bomb threat. A sweep of Kanapaha Middle School is still underway, but nothing has been found on campus.

Update (10:55 am): Buchholz and Kanapaha canceled school for the remainder of Monday as law enforcement continues to clear classroom buildings from bomb threats sent to both schools.

Buchholz students are currently staged in the gym because officers were able to clear that area. Parents can come through the south gate of the main student parking lot with appropriate ID to check their students out. Buses are scheduled to pick up bus riders, and afterschool activities may resume normally after administration receives an all-clear from law enforcement.

Most Kanapaha students, who were evacuated to Wiles Elementary School and Veterans Park, have already been picked up by their parents

Earlier Monday morning, officials evacuated Kanapaha and Buchholz, placing them on lockdown after bomb threats to both schools. 

Students had not yet arrived on campus when law enforcement officials locked down Buchholz High School for an email bomb threat received by an administrator Monday morning. While investigating the first threat, ACSO learned of a second threat at Kanapaha Middle School and applied the same lockdown protocol to send in the Juvenile Relations Bureau, K-9 Unit and Bomb Squad, according to an ACSO Facebook post. 

Explosive detection dogs and bomb squad technicians is sweeping the campuses, and all families have been notified. 

Anyone with information regarding Monday’s bomb threats is aked to contact ACSO at 352-955-1818 or ACPS at 352-955-7514.

In fall 2021, Alachua County Public Schools experienced a spate of bomb threats. Starting nine days into school, at least 19 hoaxes were received at seven schools over two months, and a 20^th threat was added at Gainesville High School in February. Multiple law enforcement agencies combined to arrest 10 students for the threats. 

In contrast, ACPS received no bomb threats during the 2022-23 school year, though the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office arrested one Buchholz student for an online shooting threat. 

Editor’s Note: this is a developing story and will be updated.