Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

All local schools placed on lockdown as precaution

Pleasant Home School went on lockdown Thursday morning after a 911 call stating there was an active shooter on campus, which turned out to be a hoax, according to officials.

Family and other community members gathered in areas nearby the school campus while first responders cleared the campus room by room and investigated the scene. Upon receiving the call, all schools within Covington County went on lockdown as a precaution.

According to officials with Covington County E-911, a call was received a transferred call from another law enforcement agency at approximately 8:58 a.m. The caller told 911 operators that he had an assault rifle on the campus at Pleasant Home School.

“We immediately dispatched first responders from all public safety disciplines and notified the school, instructing them to begin lock down procedures. We stayed on the line with the caller until the line went dead and we found that the number he called from was blocked and untraceable. All other county schools were also advised to lock down. With the help of all the responding agencies, as well as SRO officers already on scene the entire campus was cleared and deemed safe by 9:38 a.m.,” according to an E911 statement.

Covington County Sheriff Blake Turman said all agencies and school officials responded appropriately to the call.

“Our first responders and school facility demonstrated exceptional courage and professionalism in the face of an active shooter situation,” Turman said. “We were able to secure the safety of the children and staff within 25 minutes with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies and volunteer fire departments.”

The sheriff also commended the actions of students, faculty and the community.

“I extend my gratitude to the parents who exhibited remarkable restraint and cooperation during this challenging time. Our officers reported seeing older students protecting their younger peers with whatever means they had, showcasing their resilience and compassion. The staff of PHS remained calm and composed, with Principal [Barry] Wood and Assistant Principal [Tony] Wilson playing instrumental roles in the crisis resolution. Our newly appointed SRO, Deputy James Miller, proved his mettle by taking swift and effective action,” Turman said.

Law enforcement believe the E911 was a “swatting” call, which is a hoax call reporting a serious crime, typically in an attempt to fool emergency personnel to send a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to the supposed emergency.

Turman said his department is continuing to investigate the incident.

“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our community and will not tolerate any form of terrorism,” he said. “We will continue investigating the source of the call with the help of ALEA and the fusion center.”

A fusion center involves a collaborative effort between multiple agencies to gather, analyze, and share information about threats to the country.