YULEE, Fla. -- Yulee Middle School was placed on lockdown Thursday morning, according to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.

Students were later allowed to return to class.

Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves told First Coast News that the students were safe and met with concerned parents outside the locked gates of the school.

Seagraves said 20 deputies went to the campus, going room by room to check for guns after a student reported she saw what appeared to be a gun.

Seagraves emphasized no weapons were found.

Nassau County School officials said parents can now pick up their children if they so desire.

A fight at the school on Friday resulted in several students being suspended and fueled the activity on campus today as those students returned to class, according to school officials.

The lockdown was triggered after a rumor circulated on Facebook that a student was planning to bring a gun to school today.

Superintendent John Ruis says the action taken was in part driven by what happened in Jacksonville earlier in the week.  "Our response to this was probably a little heightened because of the tragedy at Episcopal High School.

Parents who waited for their children were upset, complaining about the lack of communication.  "I want to know why they lied to us this morning, saying everything would be OK so I leave my son and get a phone call they are on lockdown," said Miranda Ash.

Kenny McKuhen, a sixth grader, said about the lockdown, "They searched our book bags and then we went back to what we were doing and we did not switch classes."

First Coast News