Mt. Carmel High School declared safe by police after false threat

A telephoned threat led to a morning lockdown at a Poway Unified high school today. But after a police search of the campus, it was determined to be unfounded. According to the San Diego Police Department, the lockdown was lifted after Mt. Carmel High School in Rancho Peñasquitos was “deemed safe.” In a video posted on the department’s Facebook account, SDPD Lt. Cesar Jimenez said that at around 9 a.m. SDPD Dispatch received a radio call of an armed person inside a Mt. Carmel bathroom. “Officers immediately responded, searched the restrooms, classrooms, gymnasium,” he said in the video. “They did not find anybody here who was armed or causing any kind of danger to the community.” By early afternoon normal school-day activities had resumed. Jimenez thanked the school and school district “for their cooperation and ensuring a safe campus for all their students.” He also thanked Mt. Carmel parents for their patience and understanding during the situation. Police had advised locals to avoid the area due to the significant police resources on scene. According to a statement issued late Monday afternoon by Poway Unified officials, the district “appreciates the swift and thorough response of the San Diego Police Department.” PUSD officials said law enforcement directed the campus lockdown, including when it could be lifted after “determining the situation was resolved.” District officials also expressed gratitude to the Mt. Carmel High School staff “for their professional response and for following established safety procedures throughout the incident. Our schools regularly conduct safety drills so students and staff are prepared to respond appropriately in situations like this, and that preparation was evident today.” Principal Yael Bozzay also sent three notifications to parents on Monday. In the last one, Bozzay advised parents to talk with their students that evening about the event and asked them to start by listening, to reassure them, acknowledge their feelings, to be mindful of social media, to maintain normal routines and to keep checking in with their students in subsequent days in case they have a delayed reaction. Josue Reyna, PUSD’s chief communications officer, confirmed that the nearby Sunset Hills Elementary and Black Mountain Middle School were placed on a secure campus status, which allowed for normal class instruction, but limited campus access. “ We implement this protocol out of an abundance of caution,” Reyna said. Gợi ý thực hành: 1. Theo dõi thông báo từ cơ quan địa phương tại California. 2. Kiểm tra nguồn chính thức trước khi chia sẻ lại thông tin.