Hialeah High School lockdown sparks fear among students, parents
MIAMI - Hialeah Senior High School was placed on lockdown Monday morning as police investigated threats of a bomb and a gun on campus that were later determined to be a hoax.
The incident unfolded at the school located at 251 E. 47th Street.
Responding officers swept the school just before noon, as parents and loved ones gathered outside in distress, seeking information about their children.
"Right now I'm super worried about him," said Bryan Blanco, who left work after his 15-year-old nephew texted him from inside the school. "He's super scared. They were all in one angle of the class. The teacher said to not move, to not do anything, so I was very worried."
Images from inside classrooms showed desks stacked against doors and students huddled in silence, following instructions to remain quiet and turn off lights.
"I was terrified. I was really scared," said senior Brenda Mirabet.
Images from Chopper 4 showed numerous police units at the campus as officers searched the building, going room to room to ensure there was no danger.
Students were not allowed to leave during the investigation and parents were asked to keep their distance to allow officers to work.
As rumors swirled outside, emotions ran high among parents who feared for their children's safety.
"I texted him, but I haven't gotten word back," one parent said. "He's not answering the messages, so we're just trying to figure out if he is okay."
The Miami-Dade County Public Schools district later confirmed the threats were a hoax, but the morning ordeal left a deep impact on students and parents alike.
"Whoever did this, it's really ridiculous," one student said. "I think it's really disrespectful. You've got to be really out of tune to call for something like that."
While the school district assured everyone that students were safe, questions remain about the source of the false threats.
Hialeah Police have not yet identified who was behind the hoax, which disrupted the school and caused widespread panic.
The investigation is ongoing.
