At approximately 1:42 p.m. on May 1, the Fresno State Police Department (Fresno State PD) responded to a threat at University High School. The school was put on lockdown after receiving a threatening phone call from a now-identified number.
While officials have identified the number, the caller’s identity currently remains unknown, according to Fresno State PD Lt. Carlos Frausto.
In a statement given out by University Communications and by an officer at the scene, a preliminary investigation revealed the number has been used to make similar threats at various locations throughout the U.S.
Due to the investigation being ongoing, operations commander Frausto said the school could not reveal what kind of threat was given.
“We have determined that a number that gave the threat to University High has been determined to give numerous other threats throughout the country,” Frausto said in an interview with The Collegian.
University High School students were ordered to shelter in place for about two hours.
Fresno State PD responded by sending approximately 12 officers along with a K9 unit to secure the school. They also enlisted the support of detectives to investigate and university traffic officers to help with the flow of parents picking up their children.
“We did that to enhance the safety of the kids, because at this point, our number one goal is to keep our kids safe here on campus,” Frausto said.
In University Communication’s statement, they condemned the actions of the unknown caller and said that these threats have no place in an educational setting.
“Out of an abundance of caution, our emergency preparedness teams are engaged, and we are continuing to monitor developments,” the statement reads. “We strongly condemn any false or disruptive threats that undermine the sense of safety in our learning environments and these incidents are taken seriously.”
The Collegian has been in contact with the university and has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to understand what the protocol would be for a bomb or gun threat, but has not received a response.
According to Frausto, he couldn’t confirm or deny whether the threat was gun or bomb related due to the ongoing investigation.
“We’re not at liberty to say that right now, because we’re still trying to investigate it,” Frausto said.
