© 2026 WFSU Public Media
WFSU News · Tallahassee · Panama City · Thomasville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Two Bay County schools enter lockdown on first day of school year

School sign for A Crawford Mosley high school.
Randall Vuxta
/
WFSU Public Media
A. Crawford Mosley high school was one of two bay county schools that were targeted on the first day of the new year with anonymous bomb threats. Both schools were deemed safe, and an all clear was issued.

Two Bay county schools entered lockdown early Monday morning after anonymous bomb threats were phoned in.

According to statements from the Bay County Sheriff's Office, an anonymous phone call was made with bomb threats at Rutherford High School at about 8:30 a.m. Another anonymous call making a bomb threat directed at Mosley High School came in at about 9 a.m.

Both schools were searched and ultimately nothing was found.

"This is not a joke," Bay County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. "This is not a prank. Making false bomb threats against schools ties up critical emergency resources, disrupts thousands of students and families, and forces law enforcement officers to respond as though an actual threat exists."

No one has currently been identified or arrested for making those calls.

The Bay County Sherriff's Office is working with other federal law enforcement officers to investigate the calls. They believe it was a swatting, or the use of false reports to garner a large law enforcement response.

According to a school district official, at this time due to Bay County Sherriff's office finding no threat, Bay county schools is going to continue with first week school plans as intended. Security will remain at its current level, and all students are encouraged to attend their classes.

WFSU will continue to monitor this story and provide updates when more information is available.

Updated: August 10, 2026 at 2:10 PM EDT
After publication, a school district official offered comment on the plans for the rest of the school week and this story has been updated to include those.
Randall Vuxta is a graduate from the University of Central Florida with a focus on narrative first journalism. With eight years of experience covering the Orlando area, Randall brings an experienced eye to the Rural News Service team. Whether it's covering a local trivia league or scrambling during a spontaneous bus fire, Randall makes sure to cover stories the community cares to hear. Randall lives by a mantra: everyone has a story, go out and find it!