Topline
Boulder High School in Colorado was evacuated Wednesday morning after an unconfirmed report of an active shooter was called into local police, as police departments across Colorado investigate similar threats issued to other school districts—including one that said the threats were part of a “nationwide hoax.”
Several Colorado schools entered lockdowns Wednesday.
Key Facts
Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said the local dispatch center received a call at 8:33 a.m. Wednesday indicating an active shooter situation outside Boulder High School, noting, “in the background of the call, you can actually hear shots being fired.”
The Boulder Police Department could not confirm the report of an active shooter while evacuating the school, adding it also had no confirmed reports of any injuries.
Durango School District 9-R, which tweeted that all of its staff and students were safe, suggested an unconfirmed threat to Durango High School “was part of a nationwide hoax.”
None of the calls indicated a “specific and credible threat,” the FBI told a local TV station, adding it and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will continue to monitor the situation.
Crucial Quote
“This is the scariest type of call you can get, especially as you look across the country and see how many of these incidents are happening at schools,” Herold said, adding the 911 call Boulder police received was “very scary.”
What We Don’t Know
It is unknown who called in the threats and whether they were each connected. Despite none of the reports across the state resulting in any real threats, Herold said she “didn’t want to call it a hoax until I have more information on the investigation.”
Surprising Fact
Fake threats have been called into several schools across the U.S. in recent weeks. Multiple police agencies responded to reports of an active shooter at Catholic Central High School in Saginaw Township, Michigan, earlier this month, though police said the reports were false. Several schools in California also faced false reports of shootings the same day, with police responding to each location without finding any evidence of real threats. The following day, 21 false threats were called into Vermont-based schools.
Further Reading
Boulder High School Classes Canceled Wednesday After Shelter In Place Issued, Students Evacuated (CBS)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/02/22/11-colorado-school-districts-enter-lockdowns-over-active-shooter-reports-but-fbi-says-no-credible-threat/