Newsome High School, located in Hillsborough County, found itself in the grips of a tense lockdown after officials received a tip regarding a potential shooter threat. As reported by WTSP, the school was put on lockdown as deputies conducted a thorough search of the premises. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, in a video update, stated that while all students and staff were confirmed safe, the search for a weapon continued.

In a lockout procedure that had deputies filtering through students and their belongings, no signs of a firearm have been discovered. Sheriff Chad Chronister, who arrived on the scene this afternoon, reassured concerned parents about the safety of the school's occupants. "Every child and student here, and staff member is safe," Sheriff Chronister said, according to FOX 13 News. The sheriff stressed that every part of the school was being carefully searched for any indication of a firearm. Additionally, the sheriff's office instructed parents via a post not to pick up their children directly from the school but to park across the street at the Shops at Fishhawk instead.

Despite the alarming situation that took during the early hours of the morning, starting approximately around 8:47 a.m. according to WFLA, the sheriff's School Threat Assessment Response Team has not yet located any weapons. The school remained locked to outsiders as the investigation persisted, with entry and exit prohibited.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office communicated a structured plan for releasing students once the ordeal was resolved. In a statement by the sheriff's office obtained by WTSP, students were to be released at staggered times based on their mode of transportation home. Students with cars were released at 2:50 p.m., students using buses at 3:05 p.m., and walking students at 3:25 p.m., in a coordinated effort to manage the situation with calm and order.