Alleged gunshot leads to school lockdowns

Two Gainesville schools were placed on lockdown after an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) deputy heard what sounded like a gunshot near the schools on Thursday.

Both Eastside High School and Lake Forest Elementary were placed on lockdown this morning while ACSO deputies investigated the area. The schools were reopened around noon.

“A deputy in the area heard what sounded like a gunshot in the woods nearby the two schools,” said ACSO spokesperson Kaley Behl in an email. “In an abundance of caution, we got some deputies together to make sure the shots didn’t come from the campus.”

Behl said the school lockdowns were lifted once deputies cleared the scene.