Hoax gun threats prompted lockdowns at three Miami-Dade County schools, leading to a massive police response and hundreds of panicked parents rushing to campuses. Kinloch Park Elementary School at 4275 NW First St. and Kinloch Park Middle School at 4340 NW Third St. were placed on lockdown after Miami-Dade Schools Police received a call threatening someone would come to a school with a gun. West Miami Middle School at 7525 Coral Way also received a hoax threat.
“There was a bomb threat in the middle school and we needed to go in the bathroom. We needed to lock the door and go in the bathroom. And our teacher told us to be quiet and to not go outside,” a Kinloch Elementary School student said. Miami-Dade Schools Police determined the call appeared to be unfounded but prompted the lockdowns and campus searches. The area near both Kinloch Park schools was blocked off by police as scores of officers responded to the scene.
“I just thought I was gonna die, I thought it was really, really real, and I thought they were gonna come into the classroom,” one student said. “I was scared.” Parents arrived at the schools around 9:30 a.m. with emotions running high as they waited for answers about their children’s safety. Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies and Miami-Dade Schools Police officers were spotted at all three school locations.
“We got a phone call from the school announcing that there was a threat,” parent Stephy Noda said. “When I walked out of my house I saw all the helicopters circling, so I had to run. Most of the parents you see ran from their houses.” The incident caused hundreds of parents to show up at the schools fearing the worst possible scenario. Aerial footage showed a large number of officers at the schools along with crowds of concerned parents.
“It was crazy, I didn’t know what to do, I was just speeding on the highway just to get here,” one father said. The lockdowns affected students at Kinloch Park Elementary on Northwest 1st Street, Kinloch Park Middle on Northwest 3rd Street, and West Miami Middle on Coral Way. Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials confirmed all three schools received hoax threats that prompted the emergency response.
The false threats disrupted normal school operations and created widespread panic among families in the Miami-Dade school community. Police conducted thorough searches of all three campuses to ensure student and staff safety before determining the threats were not credible. The incident highlighted the serious response protocol that schools and law enforcement agencies follow when receiving any type of threat against educational facilities.
Miami-Dade Schools Police and the Miami Police Department have not released additional details about the investigation into the hoax threats. The lockdowns were eventually lifted after authorities completed their searches and determined the campuses were safe for students and staff to resume normal activities.