FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A 68-year-old man was arrested after police say he entered the Fernandina Beach Middle School campus with several weapons, including a compound bow, arrows and knives, before struggling with the school’s resource officer.
The incident began about 8:25 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, when the Fernandina Beach Police Department school resource officer assigned to the middle school was alerted to a suspicious person and vehicle on campus.
The officer investigated and identified the man as Ralph Suarez, 68.
Police said Suarez was carrying several weapons, including a compound bow with arrows and knives. When the school resource officer confronted him in the parking lot, a physical struggle followed.
The officer subdued Suarez and took him into custody.
Suarez was charged with exhibiting a weapon on school property, armed trespass on school property, making a false report of a bomb threat and resisting arrest.
Police did not provide details about the alleged bomb threat or explain when it was made in relation to Suarez’s appearance on campus.
Investigators also have not determined why Suarez was at the school or what he intended to do there. No injuries were reported in the information released by police.
The Fernandina Beach Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is continuing to investigate the incident under case number 2026-00035793.