Updated: False reports at Kentucky schools cause lockdowns, police investigations
At least three Kentucky schools dealt with fake reports of armed suspects or “active aggressors” on campus Wednesday, according to the Louisville and Lexington police departments.
The Lexington Police Department responded to a call of someone barricaded in a classroom with a shotgun at about 9 a.m. Wednesday, followed by the Louisville Metro Police Department confirming that it was responding to DuPont Manual High School for a report of an “active aggressor.” About 20 minutes later, LMPD confirmed another “active aggressor” report at Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North.
In all three incidents, the report was unfounded, police said. LMPD indicated the calls may have been part of a larger swatting effort, with schools in Ohio and Indiana receiving similar reports. Swatting is a term used for calls to 911 about fake emergencies.
“We will take every one of these calls seriously,” LMPD said in a post to X. “Other cities to include Evansville, Lexington and Cincy are all having apparent SWATTING calls currently.”
The Evansville Police Department in Indiana said Reitz Memorial High School had been the target of the fake report. Everyone at the school was safe, police said. The department later added that other schools in the area received similar calls.
Colerain High School in Cincinnati underwent a full lockdown after receiving a similar unfounded report, according to the Northwest Local School District. Students will be dismissed from class Wednesday due to the emotional impact.
Around the same time, WDTN in Dayton, Ohio, reported a large police presence at a school Kettering, Ohio. Police were originally responding to a report of shots fired outside of Archbishop Alter High School but later found that report to be unfounded, WDTN reported. Classes were canceled for the remainder of Wednesday.
A spokesperson for FCPS said Frederick Douglass’ lockdown has been lifted and the school district was working to find out if any of the incidents were connected. Students were encouraged to finish the school day, as normal activities had resumed.
“If students wish to leave FDHS before the end of the day, they must leave with their parents,” said FCPS spokesperson Dia Davidson-Smith. “It will be considered an excused absence, only with a parent note. They can select the reason, as we offer sick and mental health days as excused options.”
Lexington police: Report was quickly debunked
The report was called in around 9 a.m. Fayette County Public Schools and LPD investigated the report, but a short time later confirmed the call was illegitimate. The person who made the report said there was a student barricaded in a classroom, and gave a room number that doesn’t exist at Frederick Douglass, according to Davidson-Smith.
The report said an individual was barricaded inside a classroom with a shotgun, Lexington police Lt. Dan Truex told the Herald-Leader. Police quickly deemed the report to be unfounded and they were following through with procedures to ensure student safety, Truex said.
Davidson-Smith said the report didn’t mention anyone actually shooting.
The school went on lockdown and remained on lockdown while police completed a walk-through of the building, Davidson-Smith said. No students were in danger and Davidson-Smith said all the steps were taken out of “an abundance of caution.”
Several Lexington Police Department cruisers were still blocking the entrance of Frederick Douglass about 40 minutes after the report was made, though they left a few minutes later.
Hospital was ‘at the ready’ to help
Baptist Health Lexington found out about the fear of a gunman in Frederick Douglass and was prepared to help if needed, according to a spokesperson.
Ruth Ann Childers, a spokesperson for Baptist Health Lexington, said a staff member “called administration to tell us about the crisis at Frederick Douglass.”
“We quickly ascertained that it was a hoax but stood at the ready as we always are the to assist in these type of events,” Childers said.
