PORT ANGELES — A lock down at Port Angeles High School has been lifted.
About 10:40 this morning, the campus was shut down and students and staff were told to stay inside after an apparent hoax call.
According to school officials, local police dispatch received a recorded call stating that an individual with a rifle was entering the Port Angeles High School campus.
Following an investigation by the Port Angeles Police Department, it was determined the incident was a hoax. There was no evidence of any armed individual or immediate threat on the premises. Police dispatchers report the script used during the threat call matched an alert provided earlier this week by the Washington State Fusion Center (WSFC) to Washington State 9-1-1 agencies. This incident has been reported to the WSFC as having occurred.
District officials say while the threat turned out to be false, the disruption caused by the incident was significant. Because of the incident, Port Angeles High School made the decision to release students early at 11:30 AM.
Port Townsend High School was also locked down Thursday morning after a similar call there. Sequim High School did a short modified lock down as a precaution as well. There have been reports of hoax calls like these happening at communities across the country in recent days.