An hours-long lockdown at Windermere High School was lifted Wednesday afternoon after after a parent told the school that a student was seen with a gun in a bathroom.

• Lockdown at Windermere High lifted after several hours
  
• Deputies: Parent said child texted about seeing student with gun
• No gun was found, and school is safe, deputies say
• Sheriff's Office to students: 'This is not a time to be joking around'
  

The sheriff's office says the following text message was forwarded to a parent:

“There are guys in the bathrooms and hallways with guns in Windermere High School. We are afraid help, please call 911 now.”

No weapon was found, and the school was clear, spokesperson Deputy Ingrid Tejada-Monforte said.

The school resource officer, Florida Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, and the Ocoee, Winter Garden and Windermere police departments responded to help conduct a sweep of the school. Nothing was found.

The lockdown was lifted at 2:15 p.m.

Tejada-Monforte stressed that if students do see something suspicious, they should say something. But she also warned that students should not joke about situations like this, and actions will be taken against anyone reporting a false incident.

"Kids who are listening or watching or hearing this message: This is serious. We take everything seriously, and this is not a time to be joking around about situations like this and think it's a joke," Tejada-Monforte said.

Parents and guardians were told they cannot pick up students until the school buses have been released with students, she said.

School district spokesman Scott Howat said the school went on lockdown at 11:30 a.m. 

At about 1:37 p.m., the high school posted on its Facebook page via Assistant Principal Sheri Robb that deputies were sweeping the school, and students would be kept in classrooms.

Robb said students and the staff were safe. 

Earlier, Windermere High School tweeted out that they were under a lockdown and that deputies were on scene.