UPDATE
In a news release issued Friday afternoon, the Springfield Police Department said it received information from "a Mental Health assistance hotline" on Friday morning of "a specific, reportedly active, threat to Thurston High School." Police said they "could not immediately verify the credibility of the threat," which led to the decision to place the school on lockdown. After students were released for the day, police said they learned that the threat was "likely linked to other threats made to a number of other schools across the country," leading police to deem the threat to Thurston "less credible."
Original story
Thurston High School was placed in lockdown Friday as police responded to a "threat," according to Springfield Public Schools.
The lockdown was announced at 10:35 a.m., when district officials said students and staff were sheltering in place.
Shortly afterwards, the district said the nearby Thurston Elementary, Thurston Middle school and Ridgeview schools were in "lockout" status due to the situation at Thurston High School.
According to Springfield Public Schools, a lockdown "secures the building and safely shelters all students, staff and visitors inside the school building." A lockout, on the other hand, "keeps students in the school, prevents entrance to the school, but allows the school day to continue within the building."
At 11:41 a.m., the district announced that the lockdown and lockouts would remain in place through the end of the school day. Friday was a previously-scheduled "early release day," meaning most schools in the district were already planning to be in session for a half-day.
No information was released about what prompted the lockdown and lockouts, but district officials said Springfield Police "continue to have a large presence at the school as they diligently investigate the threat."
As of 4 p.m., no additional information about the incident had been released, but in a social media post, the district praised students and staff following "the appropriate safety protocols on campus, ensuring safety for all."
The district also reminded the community that concerns about school safety can be reported anonymously in Oregon through a service called "SafeOregon."
