Great Falls was one of several communities across Montana affected by what appears to have been a hoax threat at public schools.
At about 9:40 a.m., Sergeant Katie Cunningham of the Great Falls Police Department - the Great Falls School Resource Officer supervisor - received a report of a possible suicidal person inside Great Falls High School.
The suicidal person reportedly had a firearm, according to a news release from the Great Falls Police Department.
The school was placed in lockdown and law enforcement officers from Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Probation & Parole, and US Marshals Service responded.
While staff and students were secured in their classrooms at GFHS, all other Great Falls Public Schools implemented shelter-in-place procedures as a precautionary measure.
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Officers conducted a search of GFHS and no threats or weapons were found, and all lockdown and shelter-in-place procedures were lifted at about 10:15 a.m.
Similar situations happened in Billings (link) and in Kalispell (link) this morning.
Lieutenant Matt Fleming of the GFPD confirmed that other schools across Montana and the country received similar threats, believed to be “swatting” incidents.
A “swatting” incident involves the practice of making a bogus call to emergency services in an attempt to generate a large response from law enforcement officers to a particular address.
At this point, there is no indication that the person or people who perpetrated the hoax have been identified.
(UPDATE, 10:17 a.m.) Officers have deemed the GFHS campus clear of the reported threat, and the lockdown has been lifted.
The team of SROs are remaining on site, while other law enforcement personnel clear the scene.
All other Great Falls Public Schools were put in shelter-in-place status as a precaution; those procedures have now been lifted.
Similar situations happened in Billings (link) and in Kalispell (link) this morning.
We have received several reports of similar situations at other schools across country this morning.
We will update you if we get more information.
(1st REPORT, 9:56 a.m.) Police are responding to Great Falls High School in response to a report of "suspicious activity" on campus.
There is no word at this point on the nature of the reported activity, which was first reported at about 9:45 a.m.
The school has implemented lock-down procedures; one person told KRTV that students have been asked to barricade doors.
A text message from Great Falls Public Schools says that all other GFPS schools have implemented "shelter in place" procedures.
The Great Falls Police Department said in a news release that officers from several agencies are responding "out of an abundance of caution."
The GFPD says that at this time, there is no active threat.
Officers are checking the campus to ensure student and staff safety.
They ask that people avoid the area if possible.
We will update you when we get more information.
GFPS safety procedures if there is an emergency:
- Evacuation: Defined as an internal emergency that requires students and staff to leave the building for their safety. Parents should follow emergency notifications.
- Lockdown: Defined as an internal and/or immediate threat. All staff and students are locked in rooms. No one IN or OUT!
- Shelter In Place: Defined as a safety precaution for an external threat that is not an immediate or internal threat.Class Hold: Defined as a safety precaution implemented during an incident where students need to be kept in the classroom.
- Release with Care: Defined as a possible threat in the schools’ neighborhoods during arrival and release time. Release with care procedures:
- To ensure safety, the building administrator may ask staff to escort students to/from buses or waiting cars.
- Staff may also be asked to accompany students home.
Click here to visit the Safety page on the GFPS website for more information.
