False Shooter Report Sparks Lockdown At Miami Schools

On the morning of February 4, 2026, Christopher Columbus High School in Southwest Miami-Dade became the scene of a harrowing ordeal that, while ultimately unfounded, left students, parents, and educators shaken. What started as a routine day quickly spiraled into chaos after a call to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) reported a person with a gun on campus. Within minutes, not only Columbus High but also neighboring St. Brendan Catholic Church and its school campuses were placed under lockdown, as law enforcement responded with urgency and caution.

According to WSVN, the initial call came in around 10:30 a.m., with a report that someone had locked themselves inside a cafeteria closet out of fear of a person armed with a gun on campus. The school, acting out of an abundance of caution, immediately notified authorities, triggering a rapid and large-scale police response. As deputies and the Priority Response Team swept through the campuses, students and staff followed lockdown protocols, barricading classroom doors, hiding under desks, and, in some cases, seeking shelter in bathrooms.

Photos shared with WSVN and other local outlets captured the tense atmosphere: lunches abandoned on patios, deputies armed with long guns patrolling the grounds, and students huddled together behind locked doors. For many, the fear was palpable. "It was really scary," one student told WSVN. Another added, "It started off with the alarm, we were all scared." The panic was not confined to students alone. Parents, having received frantic texts and calls from their children, rushed to the scene, crowding outside the campuses and nearby parks, desperate for information and reassurance.

Inside the schools, the experience was nothing short of traumatic for some. Carolina Quinones, a parent, recounted to The Miami Herald that her son Benjamin, a freshman at Columbus, was told to run and hide in the women’s bathroom. He remained there, along with dozens of others, until deputies gave the all-clear. Another parent, Julio Mendoza, described receiving a tearful phone call from his daughter, a senior at St. Brendan High School, who had been eating lunch outside when the lockdown was ordered. "She was crying. All the kids are really scared," Mendoza said.

As the search continued, rumors swirled—reports of an armed man, even suggestions of a car full of guns. But authorities, determined to leave no stone unturned, methodically searched every corner of the campuses. Assistant Sheriff Brian Rafky addressed anxious parents during the response, stating, "Our top officers are checking right now and they have not found anything… We are leaving no stone unturned to make sure the children are safe." Ultimately, after a comprehensive sweep, no active shooter or threat was found. The incident, authorities concluded, was a false alarm—most likely a hoax or "swatting" call.

By late morning, the lockdowns were lifted. CBS News Miami reported that Columbus High School’s lockdown ended by about 11:52 a.m., and students were dismissed just after noon. St. Brendan and its associated campuses also resumed normal operations. The emotional toll, however, lingered. Two students sustained minor injuries while running during the response, and a third was treated for stress and possible dehydration, according to WSVN. Students reunited with relieved parents, some in tears, others simply grateful the ordeal was over. Gianluca Padilla, a senior at Columbus, reflected, "I’m just glad this is over."

The swift response by law enforcement drew praise from school officials and parents alike. In a message to families, Columbus High School’s principal and president expressed gratitude: "We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and thank our students, staff and families for their patience and cooperation." The Archdiocese of Miami confirmed that all students and staff at St. Brendan were safe, and both schools communicated updates regularly as the situation unfolded.

While the threat itself was unfounded, the episode underscored the anxiety that such incidents provoke in today’s educational landscape. Barbara Martin, a parent whose child was inside St. Brendan during the lockdown, told CBS News Miami, "It's so scary. Your hands are tied, and you're thinking of, you know, what could happen? What's the possibility of, you know, something being serious. Thankfully it was a joke or whatever. I don't know. I'm just super nervous right now." Another parent, George Murio, said, "It just sucks that kids have to experience this this way."

Authorities, meanwhile, have launched an investigation into the origin of the call. Assistant Sheriff Rafky warned of the serious consequences for making such false reports, stating, "Do not make these calls because there will be consequences." The Homeland Security Bureau is involved in tracing the source of the hoax, and officials have emphasized that the person responsible could face significant criminal charges. "There was no evidence to believe this happened other than a phone call itself," Rafky noted, highlighting the dangers and disruptions caused by such pranks.

The incident also brought to light the preparedness of both schools and law enforcement for emergency situations. Students and staff followed established safety protocols, locking doors, hiding, and waiting for instructions from authorities. The MDSO worked with school officials to establish a family reunification center, ensuring that students and parents could be safely brought back together once the all-clear was given. Columbus High School, an all-boys private school run by the Marist Brothers, and St. Brendan, a co-ed Catholic school, both located along Southwest 87th Avenue, demonstrated the importance of coordinated response in times of crisis.

For some, the day ended with a sigh of relief and a return to normalcy. For others, the anxiety lingered, a reminder of the challenges schools face in an era of heightened vigilance. As parents and students left the campuses, there was a shared hope that such an ordeal would not be repeated—and a renewed appreciation for the systems in place to keep their community safe.

The investigation into the hoax call remains ongoing, with authorities vowing to hold the responsible party accountable. In the meantime, the events at Christopher Columbus High School and St. Brendan serve as a stark illustration of the impact a single false report can have, sending ripples of fear through an entire community and testing the resilience of students, parents, and educators alike.