Phone threat, Causes Lockdown on Campus
November 24, 2009 • Staff reporters
Filed under News
Desert Vista students found themselves on lockdown early during their second hour classes today. The campus closure announced suddenly over the loudspeakers lasted for over an hour. The Lockdown was in response to an anonymous phone call received at nine this morning threatening to “shoot the school”. The threat drew police officers and news crews alike to cover the event.
“Ten units responded.” Said officer Dennis Orender one of the responding policeman. “A threat and lockdown like this has not happened before.”
Students were banned from leaving their classrooms, looking through windows, or even getting out of their seats. Doors and windows were locked as students waited inside. There was a considerable amount of confusion as students on the field hid inside the bathrooms during lockdown and had to wait for police escorts to leave. The fire alarm even went off in a section of the upper C building breezeway leaving many teachers conflicted on how to proceed in the contradicting emergencies.
Many Students used their phones and the Internet to gain information, on the school website. Some students texted parents, who either contacted the school or the police department. The school is sending out letters to explain the events of this morning to parents and Orender says that ‘There is no reason to fear, and investigations into the threat will continue.
If you have any information concerning the threat please contact the Call Crime Stop Hotline at (602) 262-6151.
As of December 2nd, the police are still searching and investigating. They have a few leads and are working on finding the caller.
Sgt. Frank Matsko told the Awhatukee Foothills News, “We will prosecute them to the full extent of the law.”
Police officers and the school administration have said that the campus is secure and there is no reason for students or parents to fear at this point.
The Ahwatukee Foothills News released a more detailed description of the call. At around 9 am on November 24th, a call was made. The caller threatened that if the students of Desert Vista who were on the practice fields weren’t under cover in four minutes, he would shoot.
This was the first time Desert Vista has ever undergone a full-blown lockdown and the police complimented the way the administration handled it.
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