CALIFORNIA, Pa. — Parents waited for hours outside California Area High School on Thursday after a threatening call prompted a massive police response.
District administrators say around 11:30 a.m., someone claiming to be a young girl called the high school office demanding $2,000 in a red container — or else they would shoot up the school and kill themselves.
Initially, parents were told they could pick up their children. But as dozens of officers arrived on scene, state police determined students were safest inside the building while they thoroughly cleared the area.
Nearly 150 cars lined the streets around the school as families anxiously waited to reunite.
Local police, state police, and the FBI all responded. More than 30 officers from multiple departments flooded the campus. Sources tell Channel 11 the call came from Seattle, not locally.
California Borough Police Chief James Smith thanked the responding agencies and said the show of force was necessary.
“Some people may say it was overkill — but I’d rather have them there and not need them, than need them and not have them,” said Smith.
Smith acknowledged the emotional toll these incidents take on students, especially the youngest ones.
“A lot of the younger kids, they know what’s going on. They watch TV, the news,” said Smith. “It’s a shame in America today we have to continuously deal with these types of situations.”
The chief said while the threat was determined not credible, the priority was making sure students and staff were safe.
Parents we spoke with — and many commenting on social media — say they want to see accountability.
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