Churchland High School, located in Portsmouth, Virginia, was placed on lockdown Tuesday after school administrators say a threat had been received.
What Happened?
According to Portsmouth Public Schools official Cherise Newsome, the school received a report of a threat on Monday as well as a report of a possible weapon at the school before today’s report. The two incidents do not appear to be related at this time.
Police and school administrators are conducting security sweeps of the building.
Portsmouth police spokesperson Misty Holley says they decided to increase police presence at the school. Holley tells WAVY.com the threat was made on social media.
Parents of students were notified of the threat Monday night and of the lockdown on Tuesday, Newsome says.
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In October 2016, a 14-year-old Churchland student was arrested for having a gun at school. The arrest prompted a one hour lockdown of the school. Principal Shawn Millaci sent a message to parents at the time that said, in part:
“Safety and security of staff and students is essential. We are committed to working with our students, families and community to keep our campus safe. That is why I am writing to inform you that a student had a weapon at school today. The School Resource Officer and our staff took immediate action and confiscated a gun from a student. The police were contact and the student was taken into custody and removed from the premises. There were no threats made, and no one was injured. The Portsmouth Police Department’s investigation is ongoing at this time. We will have increased security presence at the school for the remainder of the day.”
Churchland High School
Churchland High School is a public high school located in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is administered by Portsmouth City Public Schools. The school colors are black, orange, and white. The school’s mascot is a “Trucker”.
The school was founded in 1954 and houses grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of more than 1,700 students.
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