Fort Lauderdale police searched Dillard High School Monday after a report of a possible weapon on campus that turned out to be unfounded. The school was locked down for part of the morning.
Lennise Marchant arrived at Dillard High after her daughter, Nala DeSousa, texted her about the police activity.
“She’s OK,” Marchant said about her daughter who is a senior. Marchant was able to call her child, who said she was in a classroom where the lights were turned off.
“The scene alone is nerve wracking,” Marchant said.
Dozens of Fort Lauderdale police cars, marked and unmarked, along with Broward Sheriff’s SWAT deputies were on campus. The SWAT deputies were armed and went inside the school to search.
They left campus at 11 a.m. Their search did not turn up a weapon, Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Tracy Figone said.
There are 2,237 children enrolled in grades six through 12 who attend the school, which is at 2501 NW 11th St. The neighborhood is west of Interstate 95 and north of West Sunrise Boulevard.
This latest incident comes two weeks after a 12-year-old student at the Dillard High School/Middle School complex was accused of firing a BB gun at a faculty member while on campus.
Fort Lauderdale police said then the student pointed the firearm and pulled the trigger multiple times. It wasn’t known if the gun was loaded or it misfired. The teacher was not injured.
Also Monday, Miramar police announced the arrest of a former student at Everglades High School. Javary Meriwether, 28, was accused of posting a message on Facebook and threatening to “shoot up” the school, at 17100 SW 48th Court.
“No credible threat exists,” Miramar police said Monday. However, there was an increased police presence in and around the school “to help ease concerns and provide a greater sense of security for students and staff,” the department said.
Everglades High School has an enrollment of 2,472 students in grades nine through 12.