YULEE, Fla. – Dozens of anxious and sometimes angry parents waited outside Yulee Middle School on Thursday while 20 Nasssau County deputies searched the campus -- a precaution taken after a Facebook threat and rumors of violence spread through the community.
Authorities say a fight involving two students last Friday resulted in the suspension of four students, which was to end Thursday, and authorities were alerted to several Facebook postings and text messages that something could happen on Thursday.
"A rumor has been going around that a boy was going to bring guns to school, and I told my mom and she told me to stay home from school," said Brianna Albrittl.
The Sheriff's Office said it received more than 75 calls from parents Wednesday, so it made the decision to bring the extra deputies to the school Thursday just to be safe.
IMAGES: Lockdown, concern at Nassau County school
When a girl at the school reported seeing someone on campus with a gun about 9 a.m., the school went on lockdown and the search began.
Students were asked to stay in their first-period class until a search of the school was complete, and no weapons were found.
School District spokeswoman Sharyl Wood talked about the fight last Friday and whether it was racially motivated.
"It did not appear to have racial overtones at the time, but because the fight was between a black boy and a white boy, it produced racial backlash after the fact," Wood said.
Student John Hunt told his mother when he saw a Facebook post about the rumors.
"I was really nervous," John said. "She called the police."
Administrators told a growing crowd of parents gathering at the gate that their children were safe and school was not canceled.
"My daughter called me on the phone saying she's nervous -- 'Come get me,'" Edward Thomas said. "I get here and everybody's out here."
About noon, Dale Braddock, of the Nassau County School District, announced parents would be allowed to check out their children one at a time if they showed identification.
"As a parent, I'm sure they were taking all the precautions that they could,"Darren Dickerson said. "It doesn't make everyone the most happy when you show up and you can't pick up your child from school."