Crime
Foley High School on lockdown after a fight broke out, No shots fired
UPDATE (11:50 a.m.): Foley High School will begin dismissing students at noon following the campus lockdown earlier today.
According to a press release from Baldwin County Public Schools, car drivers will be dismissed first, followed by students whose parents have come to pick them up. Students who wish to remain on campus will be supervised in the cafeteria and provided with study materials.
Bus riders will board their regular buses at the conclusion of the school day and depart for their home destinations.
Parents who need to pick up their children should drive down Cedar Street to the back of the school. They should then follow security personnel around the south side of the cafeteria to pick up their child and depart out the east front of the school towards Highway 59.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
Baldwin County, AL – A spokesperson for Baldwin County Public Schools has confirmed that all students are safe following a lockdown at Foley High School on Thursday morning.
The school was placed on lockdown after a report of a disturbance. The Foley Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene and secured the campus.
The lockdown has been lifted, and all students are safe.
The Foley Police Department has issued a statement addressing the circulation of false information on social media regarding the incident at Foley High School.
The department has confirmed that many of the images being shared online are old photos that do not depict the events of today. Some of these photos were not even taken on the Foley High School campus.
The Foley Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office are currently on the scene and have secured the high school. A reunification plan is being developed, and more information will be provided within the next 30 minutes.
The public is urged to refrain from spreading rumors and misinformation. Please rely on official communications from the Foley Police Department and Baldwin County Board of Education for accurate information.
The public is asked to avoid the area until the security perimeter is removed.
More information regarding the incident will be released before noon.
Orlando, Fla. — Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruz’s father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruz’s partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruz’s partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
“When they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,” Anthony Cruz said. “My son didn’t deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt — a shirt with a bullet hole.”
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruz’s family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruz’s memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the club’s property.
“I didn’t know the victim, but from everything I’ve been told, I wish I had,” Cooper said. “He seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.”
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.