Clarinet Mistaken for Rifle Triggers Code Red at Oviedo School

Lawton Chiles Middle School in Oviedo was placed on a brief Code Red lockdown on December 9 after an automated weapons detection system flagged a student who was holding a clarinet in a manner that the system interpreted as a firearm. The lockdown was lifted after officials determined the incident posed no imminent danger and all students and staff were reported safe.

In a message to families, Principal Dr. Melissa Laudani said, “We have multiple layers of school safety, including an automated system that detects potential threats. A student was walking in the hallway, holding a musical instrument as if it were a weapon, which triggered the Code Red to activate.” The principal asked families to speak with students about the dangers of pretending to have a weapon on campus and emphasized appreciation for quick responses by law enforcement and compliance with safety protocols.

Oviedo police posted on Facebook that the Code Red had been cleared and that everyone was safe, describing the alert as a precaution. School officials characterized the response as successful in applying established procedures and in coordinating quickly with local law enforcement to protect students while officials assessed the situation.

Beyond the immediate relief that no one was harmed, the episode highlights policy questions that Seminole County faces as schools adopt automated safety technologies. Automated detection systems can shorten response times and provide a layer of surveillance, but they also can generate false positives that disrupt instruction and create anxiety among students and families. The incident underscores the importance of transparent protocols for testing, calibrating, and communicating about these systems, and for training staff and students in how to respond when alerts occur.

For local families the event is a reminder of the balance schools must strike between vigilance and normal school operations. The principal has urged conversations at home about appropriate conduct on campus. School administrators and district leaders will likely review the alert and its handling as part of ongoing efforts to refine safety measures and maintain trust between the community and public institutions charged with protecting Seminole County students.