This past Tuesday, March 4, at approximately 10:35 a.m., Saint Stephen’s received an anonymous phone call making a threat against the school. In response, the school immediately instituted a full Code Red lockdown and notified authorities, who arrived on campus in less than five minutes.
Officers from the Bradenton Police Department and explosive detection K9 units, along with the Manatee and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, conducted an extensive search of the school that concluded in an “all clear.”
But the incident, which caused students to be stuck in lockdown procedure for hours, left many shaken. Senior Ella Thompson described the fear she felt when the lockdown began.
“The last time something like this happened was five years ago, so I think a lot of us have some trauma from it,” Thompson added.
Some students like senior Christina Collazo noted that they felt safe during the event due to the presence of her teachers. “I was with Mrs. Nimmo and Mr. Skalecki, and I think they both did a really good job of keeping us calm and making sure we were safe.”
During a Code Red lockdown, all doors, windows, and gates must be locked immediately, and lights must be turned off. Students and staff are required to remain in a secure location, staying silent and hidden from any outside viewpoint.
Following the lockdown, students were picked up by their parents just after 2 PM in a staggered release process.
The school administrators and security team, along with law enforcement, are working diligently in the investigation process, as the caller has yet to be identified.
Associate Director of Campus Security Mr. Josh Cramer said the investigation will take time.
“It doesn’t happen like it does in the movies,” Cramer said. “There are so many different processes that have to be worked through to even break the surface.”
As of now, the PD is actively working through many different leads and working through the several phases of digital footprints.
In the wake of the event, students in need of resources or support can talk to Mrs. Klein, Ms. Perkins, and Mrs. Hasbrouck, according to administration.
