South Florida’s Josh Gad In Attendance With Kids From Boca, Delray.
UPDATE: Read the report filed to us by a Broward student who witnessed, and photographed, the incident.
DES MOINES, IA (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — As many as 100 students from Palm Beach and Broward public and private schools taking part in the National Speech and Debate Competition in Des Moines, IA sought emergency shelter Thursday afternoon after what was first thought to be a shooting. The students, from schools including American Heritage in Delray Beach, were evacuated from the Des Moines Exposition Center and told to find shelter. It was later determined no shots were fired, no weapon was involved, and there is no active threat.
The evacuation order was given when witnesses say someone possibly wearing fatigues rushed the stage and apparently acted in a bizarre and threatening manner just yards from celebrity actor Josh Gad. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies swarmed the scene and ultimately “swept” the center before declaring an “all clear.” No one was injured. Gad, who grew up in Hollywood, FL, was on the stage judging the competition. Gad was an award-winning speech and debate competitor before his rise to fame.
The National Speech and Debate Competition pits the best of the best high school speech and debate students against each other for a week of intense competition. It’s the culmination of speech and debate competitions held at high schools and on college campuses during the school year.
Thursday is the fifth day of competition. This the the 100th anniversary of the National Speech and Debate Association. The Association said late Thursday that the person involved was “subdued,” there is no ongoing “threat,” and competition resumes tonight.
