Shooting, bomb threats force lockdown at East Ridge Middle School in Clermont, deputies say

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Two threats called in to East Ridge Middle School in Clermont forced the school into a lockdown Thursday, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

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Deputies say one of the calls threatened a school shooting. The second was a bomb threat.

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According to the sheriff’s office, deputies searched the campus thoroughly with nitrate dogs but say they found nothing suspicious.

Investigators later determined the calls likely came from out of state and say there have been similar incidents reported recently in another county in Florida.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives say they’re actively working to figure out exactly where the call came from and who was responsible for making it.

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They say there will be an increased law enforcement presence at the school Friday, “to give students, parents, and faculty some added peace of mind.”

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