School shooting threats part of nationwide hoax

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Schools across the country, including right here in Idaho, were challenged by false threats of a shooting on Wednesday.

Canyon Ridge High School

On Wednesday right before 10 a.m., the Twin Falls Communication Center received a call on its non-emergency dispatch line of shots being fired and one person injured at Canyon Ridge High School, with the possibility of more people being injured.

Local law enforcement immediately responded, and the school with roughly 1,500 students and staff was put on lockdown. The Twin Falls Police Department conducted three sweeps of the building before giving the all-clear.

Canyon Ridge students were dismissed from school at 12:05 p.m. after a false report of an active shooter sent multiple law enforcement agencies to the scene. .

As a result, Twin Falls High School and the College of Southern Idaho went into a lockdown. CSI classes were canceled until 1 p.m.

Jerome School District

Jerome schools were also placed on lockdown, but they didn’t receive a threatening call of an active shooter.

Kimberly School District

Nearby Kimberly schools went on a Hall Check, meaning that the outside doors were locked, but classes remained as normal. At that point, it was not clear what was happening at Canyon Ridge. Shortly after hearing of the incident, Kimberly administrators were notified by KPD via Twin Falls Police Department that there was no threat at Canyon Ridge, and therefore KSD ended the Hall Check and returned to business as usual.

Cassia School District

Cassia law enforcement officers received a false report of a threat at Burley High School from an anonymous caller with a foreign accent. Officers secured Burley High School to ensure that all students and staff are safe and that no viable threat was present.

Caldwell School District

All Caldwell schools have undergone a security sweep and are back operating as usual.

Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield weighed in on the false reports and issued this statement, “I am aware that several schools were impacted today by threats of violence, and that the threats do not appear to be valid,” Critchfield explained. “State Department of Education staff have been in touch with districts and will continue to stay apprised of the situation. I’m thankful for the quick action from school administrators and law enforcement to ensure the safety of students in the affected schools.”

According to the Caldwell Police Department, “in the past week, similar instances involving hoax calls into schools have occurred in Oregon, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada.”

The Twin Falls Police Department released this statement, “the Active Shooter Alarm was part of a nationwide hoax and there is no danger.”

The reports were taken seriously and law enforcement agencies, as well as school administration, remain on high alert.

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