EASTPOINTE (WWJ) - Students at Eastpointe High School have been sent home for the day after an apparent threat made on social media spurred a massive local and regional police response and lockdown at the school Wednesday afternoon.
Police escorted groups of students out of the school after the lockdown and led them to buses to take them home.
Eastpointe school officials said all students and classrooms have been searched and cleared. There was no evidence of a credible threat, according to the school.
It had previously been reported that authorities found ammunition inside the school, but an update late Wednesday afternoon confirmed that no weapons or any parts of a weapon were found during a search of the school.
Eastpointe Director of Public Safety George Rouhib told WWJ's Ryan Marshall what is believed to be an airsoft gun magazine was recovered, but it was unrelated to the initial incident.
Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer first told Langton of the developing situation shortly after noon and said officers from his department were helping Eastpointe police after "a suspect with a gun" was reported inside the school.
Rouhib said police were called to the school around 11:30 a.m. after a report of a student assaulting a teacher. While that incident was determined to not be an assault, school officials received a call from someone who reported seeing a social media post of a male with a gun inside a school bathroom.
The caller, believed to be "a young female," told officials several students at the school then went into the bathroom and wrestled with the person and took the gun away, according to Rouhib.
"At that point we didn't want to take a chance, so all our officers made the scene," Rouhib said.
The school was placed on lockdown just before noon and the entire school property was searched, including the roof, according to Rouhib. Authorities searched every locker, hallway, student and all their bags.
No firearm was recovered, so officials "assume the call was bogus," he said. Investigators are now trying to determine where the call came from.
Local and regional police departments responded to the school and went classroom to classroom to search for any signs of a threat. More than 50 officers were on-scene, according to Rouhib.
During the lockdown at the school, police were also dealing with a bomb threat at the nearby Michigan First Credit Union, as well as one at the school, according to Rouhib. It was not immediately clear whether the incidents were connected.
"It's ridiculous. It's a sad day because all your police resources are in one place and it's not fair the rest of the people that reside in the city or travel through the city where there's no police protection because we're all tied up on a bogus run," Rouhib said.
Earlier reports that students and staff have evacuated were false, as authorities clarified the school is currently on lockdown.
"We are asking parents not to come to the building at this time to allow authorities an opportunity to complete their search," school officials said during the developing situation. "We will continue to keep families updated this afternoon."
WWJ is working to learn more information about the incident.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS STORY. Stay tuned to WWJ LIVE for the latest updates as the situation develops.
Related
