JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 12:39 p.m. Update: One of the three suspects has been detained at Mandarin Middle School.
Below is a full statement from Mandarin Middle School:
Original: Extra security was added to two Duval County schools on Wednesday morning after police said three students could be linked to a gun burglary.
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Action News Jax learned that five guns were stolen from a local family’s home and the sheriff’s office investigation led them to Atlantic Coast High School as well as Mandarin Middle School.
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It was a longer commute into school this morning as kids heading to class were searched before entering the building. Long lines of students with backpacks were searched and kids were screened outside.
Mandarin Middle School and Atlantic Coast High School are now part of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigation after five guns were stolen from a family’s home.
Parents got the call about the change in the morning routine, ahead of time.
“They tell me that they going to increase the security of the school,” one parent said.
Read: Student belongings screened at Fletcher Middle School due to social media post threatening shooting
“Like every typical parent these days, it’s like oh my God do I need to stop what I’m doing and go get him? But I got a phone call and an email and it was very detailed so I was appreciative,” parent Kim Parmer said.
Action News Jax reached out to the sheriff’s office about the search -- they referred us to a police report.
A lot of the details of the crime are redacted. The home address is blocked out as well as the suspect information. But it does explain the victim “advised someone had broken into her safe and stole multiple firearms” on February 4.
According to the report at Atlantic Coast -- they were grateful for the extra measures put in place.
Read: Student brought loaded gun to Beauclerc Elementary School in Jacksonville, principal says
“My son thought that it could have possibly been a real incident on the school grounds but because of the communication we received I was able to ease his mind,” Parmer said.
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Action News Jax reached out to JSO to get more details asking if anything turned up during their search and if anyone has been detained but we are waiting to hear back.
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