Noise like an explosion

The school called police for assistance at 11:58 a.m.

The students and staff remained safe but under a lockdown as of 2:30 p.m. Friday, and a staggered dismissal plan went into effect, according to the School District of Palm Beach County.

By 5:30 p.m., the school and surrounding areas were clear, and all the students had left.

It was unclear why West Palm Beach police were tracking the van’s driver and why the person was shot. Jachles said he didn’t know how many shots were fired or whether the suspect had a weapon.

The School District contacted parents about 12:20 p.m. that a single-car accident on the campus was being investigated after an altercation between the West Palm Beach Police and the van’s driver. Dreyfoos was put into a Code Red lockdown, but parents were assured that all children were safe, and the Code Red was downgraded to a Code Yellow about 1:20 p.m. Friday.

“I visited with the students and everyone’s calm and collected at this point,” said Superintendent Michael Burke about 3 p.m.

Ninth-grader Emilie Paul, 15, was eating lunch outside with her friends when they heard a noise like an explosion. They initially thought it was a garbage truck but realized the sound was much louder.

“Then we saw a police officer start yelling ‘Code Red,’ ” she said. “And we saw people start running.”

Some students ran into the gym, where another student held the door open, Paul said.

“I was shaking the whole entire time, running with my bag … I was praying,” she said.

She and some schoolmates ran to the nearby Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, where she waited until about 2 p.m. “It kind of felt like forever.”