INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — School districts across Florida, including Indian River County, heightened security Wednesday after more than 40 superintendents received hoax bomb threats via email, authorities said.
The anonymous messages, sent around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, claimed explosives had been planted in undisclosed schools and demanded $1,000 in cryptocurrency to prevent detonation.
In Indian River County, officials confirmed receipt of the email but provided no immediate details on specific campus impacts. Schools remained open, with extra patrols from local deputies and campus security teams.
“We take every threat to our schools seriously and have increased our presence across the entire district. We will continue to monitor this situation and the ongoing investigation with the goal of holding the perpetrator(s) accountable,” Indian River Couny Sheriff’s Eric Flowers told Sebastian Daily.
The FBI is investigating the incident, which could lead to federal charges against the sender, who remains unidentified. No explosives were found, and classes proceeded as scheduled statewide.
“While these threats are not believed to be credible, the district takes all threats seriously and is proceeding with an abundance of caution,” Indian River County schools sent to parents.
Parents in affected areas expressed frustration over the delayed communications but praised the swift security boosts.
