Student, 16, charged in false gun report at NSB High School that locked down schools

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office announced Friday it has charged a 16-year-old student for making a false gun report earlier this week, which resulted in lockdowns at both the high school and middle school in New Smyrna Beach.

The incident happened Tuesday and, "after a thorough investigation, VSO detectives determined there was no gun on campus, and the 16-year-old student who called 911 claiming she saw one in a live Instagram video was lying in an attempt to get other students in trouble," the sheriff's office said an update shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"The student responsible for the multi-agency response to Tuesday's report of a gun on campus at New Smyrna Beach High School has been charged with disrupting school functions by making a false report," the sheriff's office added.

By 12:50 p.m. Tuesday, the lockdown at the middle school had been lifted. At 1:40 p.m. the lockdown at the high school was downgraded to a hold and by 2:15 p.m. it had been lifted.

The New Smyrna Beach Police Department had the assistance of a sheriff's helicopter in their search of the school area as well as from a gun-detecting dog from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

"The false report brought 50-plus law enforcement officers on campus and caused major disruptions," according to the sheriff's office.

In another post, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood also took to social media to share his thoughts.

"Parents and guardians really need to keep driving home this message: A hoax report of a gun on campus is an easy way to earn a criminal record and make your life a lot more difficult," he wrote.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NSB High School student charged in false gun report after lockdown