The Petal School District went into lockdown after a caller purporting to be a teacher sad there was an active shooter situation. Below is the official release.
PETAL, MS – At approximately 9:30 a.m. this morning, the Petal Police Department received a phone call regarding an active shooter at Petal High School. The caller was pretending to be a teacher at our school. We followed our normal lockdown procedures as we swept the building with our administrators, Petal School District Police, and Petal Police Department. Out of an abundance of caution, we went into soft lockdown at all other Petal+ campuses as well. All campuses were cleared and resumed normal operations.
We are continuing to work with law enforcement to find the originator of this call. Once identified, we will prosecute to the fullest extent. We are also learning this is happening across the state and nation. Just today, several other Mississippi school districts experienced the same automated telephone call. If you would like to read more about this concerning trend happening across the nation, please check out two educational articles linked below.
‘Swatting’ Hoaxes Disrupt Schools Across the Country. What Educators Need to Know
False calls about active school shooters are rising. Behind them is a strange pattern
I am proud of the quick response from our team of educators along with our local law enforcement agencies. Safety and security remains a top priority in our school district. Thank you for your support!