FLORIDA — A shooting incident near two schools in Freeport prompted a lockdown Thursday morning as authorities searched for an armed suspect who was later taken into custody.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Freeport Elementary School and the Freeport Learning Center were placed on lockdown following a shooting on Stella Drive.
Officials said deputies were initially searching for a 15-year-old white male with reddish-brown hair who was considered armed and dangerous. Authorities later confirmed the suspect was taken into custody.
One victim was transported from the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. No additional information about the victim’s condition was immediately released.
The lockdown was described as precautionary. Parents were allowed to sign into the schools for last-day-of-school activities, but students could not be checked out during the incident.
Law enforcement maintained an increased presence in the area throughout the investigation. Walton Correctional Institution K-9 teams and the sheriff’s office drone unit responded to the scene.
Authorities also closed Stella Drive and shut down North Jackson Street between Highway 20 and Old Eucheeanna Road as the investigation continued.
