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LAKEPORT >> Schools in the Lakeport Unified School District and several other schools across the country went on lockdown Monday afternoon after receiving a threat via email.
Like with other school districts, LUSD Superintendent April Leiferman received an email at approximately 11:30 a.m. from an unknown sender stating he/she would cause bodily injuries to students, staff, and any law enforcement officer seen at the campus.
According to the Lakeport Police Department and the Times-Standard, which obtained a copy of the threat after schools in Humboldt County were also targeted, the message read:
“I got bullied at this school and you did nothing. Now you will understand the true mean of pain. I am coming into school with 3 bombs, and a .22 hand gun. If I see any staff or student I will shoot them and kill them.”
Immediately after the message, Leiferman reported it to the police. Lakeport Police, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, Lake County Probation Department, and the Lakeport Fire Department responded to assist in securing three campuses that comprise the district. Areas like Lakeshore Drive, Lange Street, Giselman Street, and Howard Street were closed shortly after noon, while law enforcement conducted sweeps at each school.
LPD Chief Brad Rasmussen said the FBI was contacted to help track down the IP address. “We were on the phone right away and [the FBI] said the same email was distributed to schools across the country and at that point we were comfortable it was a hoax,” he said. But, he added, officers completed a thorough investigation.
Prentice Danner, FBI spokesman based in San Francisco said, “We are working with our local law enforcement partners to determine the validity of these threats. At this time, they appear to be part of a larger influx of threats and they do not appear to be legitimate.”
The Bay Area News Group reported that authorities found the series of national threats came from an overseas online gaming community “to see who could generate the most school evacuations in America and the United Kingdom…”
Just before 1:30 p.m., the lockdown was lifted after investigations showed no evidence of a credible threat. Leiferman said bus routes operated 15 minutes later than scheduled as a result.
