Heavy police presence reported at Florence High School

FLORENCE, Wis. (WLUC) – Florence County Public Schools evacuated students and staff Friday morning due to a bomb threat that remains under investigation.

A viewer first called a tip into the TV6 newsroom at about 10:40 a.m. CT/11:40 a.m. ET about a heavy police presence at the middle school/high school. TV6 called the Florence County Sheriff’s Office to confirm law enforcement presence and the reason. However, the department said it was “unable to speak to that” at the time.

TV6’s Iron Mountain Bureau Reporter Joe Smith arrived at the school at approximately 11:15 p.m. CT/12:15 p.m. ET. He confirmed the presence of Michigan State Police, Florence County Sheriff and Dickinson County Sheriff units.

At approximately 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET, Florence County School District confirmed in a post to its Facebook page that it had received a bomb threat involving its middle/high school building and evacuated all students and staff at 10:36 a.m.

The school said law enforcement was continuing to investigate.

The district said all students and staff are accounted for and safe and that the public avoid all school property so that it can carry out appropriate safety procedures.

The incident led other school districts in the region to tighten security as a precaution as well.

Breitung Township Schools posted to its Facebook page at approximately 11 a.m. CT that it enacted a measure called “secure action,” which brings all students and staff into the building and locks exterior doors for extra safety as classes continue.