LOCKDOWN

‘What’s going on at school?’, I texted my older daughter after having received an email from the school notifying us of an incident.

‘A bomb threat. [There’s] FBI, swat, police, firefighters, bomb dogs, and a helicopter’, she replied. Then she sent a link and added, ‘We are on the news’. 

It was noontime when I noticed the email. The school went into lockdown for a few hours after having received a phone call around 10,00. Parents were not notified until an hour and a half later.

I kept texting with my daughter to make sure she was safe. My other daughter and my son were next door at the middle school. We live directly across the street from both schools which meant I was unable to go home.

For the next two and a half hours, I kept waiting and checking for any updates. My son didn’t know what was going on until later. Apparently, they were not under lockdown even though the investigation was being conducted outside of the school, on the same grounds.

‘When will they let you go?’, I texted my older daughter an hour later.

‘No clue, we are still stuck here’, she replied. I let her know that the local news is reporting no bombs having been found.

‘Oh I heard that 4 were [found]’, she stated. Then she called me around 14,30 when they finally let the students leave.

She was on her way to her friend’s home, also near the school. She explained what she heard. She also let me know that there were listening to the police scanner during the investigation and heard what was going on the entire time.

Apparently, there was a boy who called in the bomb threat on himself. Seemingly with mental issues. They found two or three bombs inside the school – one in the band locker – and others outside the school, to include inside a car. She also said that the boy had other weapons.

In a situation such as this one, it is difficult to determine what is the truth and what is a fabrication intended to protect the community and not incite more fear. Both the local news and the principal issued a statement that ‘nothing was found’. That there was no threat. Interestingly, there was a similar threat in 2019 on 26 April.

The principal’s email went on to claim ‘This was a prank intended to cause substantial disruption… It is safe to be at school tomorrow’.

‘Trust me, my own child will be at school tomorrow’, he continued. I am always skeptical when someone says ‘trust me’. When you have believed people in the past who have told you to trust them, and they let you down, you learn to no longer believe anyone who utters those words.

If there was a threat and bombs were found, but a coverup exists, how did the boy manage to bring bombs and other weapons inside the school? Since this is not the first time this has happened, shouldn’t the school install metal detectors at all entrances? Even if it was simply a phone call, why make the call in the first place?

I guess the real question should be, who is telling the truth? And will we ever know the real truth?