Hermiston School District places two schools in lockdown due to ‘swatting’ report

Published 2:01 pm Tuesday, February 21, 2023

The Hermiston School District placed Hermiston High School in lockdown Tuesday due to a apparently false report of shots fired at the school, according to a news release from the school district.

Due to its proximity, West Park Elementary School also was placed in lockdown, as a precautionary measure.

Hermiston High School is one of multiple schools in the state that received similar calls Tuesday.

Media reports indicate similar incidents at La Grande and Baker high schools.

A social media post at 11:58 a.m. Tuesday from Umatilla County Fire District No. 1 said the fire agency was dispatched to Hermiston High for a report of “shots fired with possible victims.”

“Units responded and were on scene within four minutes where we enacted our Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Protocol,” the post said. The fire district also monitored radio traffic and “prepped for patient care and alerted partner medical agencies for possible transport. After 18 minutes law enforcement had cleared the premises and cleared EMS.”

Law enforcement found no credible threat to students or staff. The final “all clear” was given at the high school at 12:27 p.m. The school then returned to normal operations, and the lockdown at West Park Elementary was lifted.

On Feb. 9, a call determined to come from outside the United States contained similar violent threats against Bend High School. The threats were false.