Shots fired near school spark lockdown before swift arrest in Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach, Florida – On Monday morning, January 12, 2026, police in Fort Walton Beach responded quickly to reports of shooting. Around 10:05 a.m., the Fort Walton Beach Police Department started getting a lot of emergency calls that said shots had been fired near the intersection of Lovejoy Road and Burnette Avenue.
Officers were immediately dispatched to the area as the situation developed. Because Okaloosa Academy Charter School is close by, safety measures were put in place right away. The school was locked down and secured right away after the first reports came in. This kept children and staff safe while law enforcement worked to analyze and contain the issue.
Authorities say that the suspect ran away from the site soon after the bullets were heard. Fort Walton Beach police officers and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies worked together to respond. Law enforcement officers used pooled resources and communication to keep track of the subject as the search progressed fast away from the first location.
The police found the offender and arrested him a short time later. Officials said that the arrest went off without any problems and that no new injuries or threats were recorded during the arrest. Law enforcement emphasized that the situation was resolved efficiently and that there was no ongoing danger to residents, students, or nearby neighborhoods.
After the arrest, the police told the public that the area was safe and that normal activities could start up again. Once officials were sure there was no longer a threat, the lockdown at Okaloosa Academy Charter School was lifted.
Later that day, the Fort Walton Beach Police Department expressed gratitude to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office for their help and support in a statement. Officials said that the speedy resolution of the emergency was due in large part to the coordination across agencies. They said that the concerted effort helped keep the situation under control while putting public safety first.
