Active-shooter report at Franklinton High School was a hoax, sheriff says; juvenile in custody

As of 6:54 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026

A report of an active shooter that put Franklinton High School in Franklin County, North Carolina, on lockdown Monday was a hoax, and a juvenile is in custody, Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White said.

The call came in at 10:23 a.m., prompting the lockdown, WRAL reported. Deputies, Franklinton police and agents of the State Bureau of Investigation responded to the campus, about 30 miles north of Raleigh.

The SBI said it found nothing and that no one was injured, WITN reported. "ALL students and staff are SAFE, and this is believed to be a False Report," the agency wrote on Facebook around noon, according to The News & Observer.

'A sick and disgusting joke'

In a Facebook post around midday, White said an initial sweep of the school showed "no signs of any threats of any kind" and that deputies would stay on campus while students were returned to their families.

"False alarms like this are not funny, but unfortunately must be taken seriously," White wrote. "We will investigate the origin of this false report, and the perpetrator will face significant consequences."

Around 5 p.m., White posted that a juvenile was in custody in connection with what he called an "Active Shooter Hoax," the N&O reported.

"This was a sick and disgusting joke that has caused significant mental stress to many in our community," White wrote, according to ABC11. "The community was never in danger, and thanks to the quick work of our first responders, agency partners and investigators, the individual who caused this mess has been identified."

Authorities did not identify the juvenile because of the suspect's age, WRAL reported. No charges had been announced as of Tuesday morning.

Principal: 'an awful prank'

In a statement to families, the school's principal said, "Today we were the victims of an awful prank. No shots were fired on our campus, and there was no actual threat to our students," WRAL reported.

Franklin County Schools said in a letter to families that all students and staff were safe and that there was no active shooter or immediate threat to students, staff or the surrounding community.

Hundreds of parents gathered outside the school while students remained inside, ABC11 reported. "It's terrifying," said parent Ashley Koito, describing getting a text from her child during the lockdown.

False rumors spread on social media during the lockdown, including claims that people had been killed, students told WRAL. Officials said no one was hurt. Former Franklinton Mayor Elic Senter urged residents not to add to the speculation. "Our frenzy for information can ultimately lead to social media conjecture that's inaccurate, and that doesn't help anyone do anything but panic," he wrote on Facebook, according to the N&O.