Text message threat leads to Gateway Charter HS lockdown, two in custody

Two people were taken into custody Friday after a text message threat created chaos, putting a high school on lockdown for more than four hours.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office had a serious tactical response to Gateway Charter High School, with long guns in tote, after the report of a threatening text. The content of that text is still unknown.

One mother we spoke to was on the verge of tears early during the lockdown. She said got a communication from the school saying there was a threat. She said her son then text her stating they had to hide in the classroom and stay quiet. She added that she can’t feel okay until she’s holding her son.

During the lockdown, LCSO said, “All threats are taken seriously. Safety sweeps are being conducted. Extra precautions are being taken. At this time, a threat has not been located.”

Josh Cutler had his son inside the school, but he also had 15 more boys to worry about. Coach Cutler volunteers with the boy’s basketball team. “Not just that I coach, but I’ve been with for the entire summer that I love. Not as much as my son. But they’ve become an extended family to me and I worried about what was going on and who was involved.”

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