Students and staff at Martin County High School were evacuated from campus buildings Thursday afternoon after an email bomb threat prompted a comprehensive search of the Stuart school's property by deputies. School officials said everyone on campus is safe, even as the duration of the search remained unclear.
The threat arrived via email, according to WPBF, which reported that the Martin County Sheriff's Office conducted a comprehensive search of the school property after the message was received. Parents were notified of the situation through a school message, and school administrators reported an increased law enforcement presence on campus in that same message to families. As of the station's report, authorities had not released additional details about the source of the email threat, and no suspicious items had been confirmed found at the school.
Students Held Off Campus as Search Continues
Students and staff remained evacuated away from campus buildings while deputies worked through the property, the station's report noted, with school officials reiterating that all students and staff are safe. The school said it plans to provide an update when new information becomes available, and WPBF listed the story as developing as of Thursday afternoon.
This is not the first time a Martin County school has faced this kind of scare this year. On April 21, 2026, nearby Jensen Beach High School was placed on lockdown after an anonymous call falsely reported a bomb threat and active shooter, according to Martin County School District records, with law enforcement sweeping that campus before determining the threat was not credible.
A History of False Alarms on the Same Campus
Martin County High School itself has a history with this kind of incident. In November 2014, a 16-year-old student at the school was arrested and charged with a felony after a bomb threat note was discovered inside a library book, according to TCPalm, which reported that sheriff's deputies searched the school and cleared the campus before releasing the suspect to parents.
The district equips staff at every school with the Centegix CrisisAlert system, giving employees wearable badges with alert buttons that instantly summon emergency assistance to both administrators and first responders, according to the Martin County School District. Families are also encouraged to use FortifyFL, the statewide anonymous reporting app created after the 2018 Parkland shooting, to submit safety concerns directly to police and school administrators rather than spreading rumors online.
Felony Charges Loom for Whoever Sent the Threat
Whoever is found responsible for sending the email could face serious criminal exposure. Under Florida Statute Section 790.163, making a false report about a planted bomb or explosive device is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, 15 years of probation, and a $10,000 fine, per Online Sunshine, Florida's official statute portal.
Separately, the article also discussed Florida Statute Section 836.10. Beyond criminal charges, state zero-tolerance guidelines under Section 1006.13 require public schools to impose a mandatory expulsion of at least one year and refer any student found responsible for a false bomb threat for criminal prosecution, according to the Florida Department of Education, which categorizes major campus disruptions as Level III safety violations.
In October 2024, the Martin County School District and the Martin County Sheriff's Office issued a joint advisory about false threats online; available sources do not establish where vague online threats circulating locally originated. Martin County High School is part of the Martin County School District and has students and faculty, while law enforcement has responded to reported threats at the school.
