Update: Gainesville High cleared after bomb hoax

Update: The Gainesville Police Department reported nothing suspicious was found at GHS and the school was cleared. Students were sent home for the remainder of the day. 

Gainesville High School received a bomb threat Wednesday, marking the fifth day in a week that Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) have been targeted.

The Gainesville Police Department is on the scene, according to a social media announcement at 12:30 p.m., and is asking people to avoid the area due to heavy traffic congestions. Parents are being asked to go to the Lowes parking lot at 2564 NW 13th Street to pick up children.

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North of Gainesville in Jasper, Hamilton County High School also reported a bomb threat Wednesday, according to the school’s Facebook page.

On Tuesday, all three Newberry schools and Eastside High School in Gainesville received bomb threats. 

Newberry High was the lone hoax target on Thursday, Friday and Monday

Buchholz High School in Gainesville, the largest school in the Alachua County district, received four bomb threats between Aug. 19 and Sept. 7. Authorities arrested a Buchholz student they believe is responsible for at least two of the threats on Sept. 13.

Santa Fe College also briefly shut down due to a bomb threat on Sept. 14.

ACSO is directing anyone with information to contact Criminal Investigations Division at (352) 367-4170. Those who have information that leads to the arrest of a suspect can remain completely anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers through their “P3 Tips” application available through the App Store or Google Play, or by calling (352) 372-STOP (7867) and www.stopcrime.tv. You can also report tips to the Newberry High School administrators at (352) 472-2201 or online at www.getfortifyfl.com.

In Newberry, a reward of $4,000 is being offered after the City of Newberry announced it is matching the $1,000 provided by Crime Stoppers to anyone who comes forward with information leading to an arrest. Other businesses that also contributed to the reward with information leading to an arrest include Spacewalk of Gainesville with $500, Newberry Main Street with $500 and Meldon Law offering to match Crime Stoppers with $1,000. 

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated.

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