Threat of an active shooter at Savannah High School determined to be a hoax, officials say

Police responded to Savannah High School and the Savannah Early College on Wednesday morning and evacuated students after rumors spread online of an active shooter on campus, but those claims were later deemed a hoax, school officials said.

The incident was one of at least seven hoaxes called in or put online at schools across Georgia, including in Valdosta, Augusta, and Wayne and Glynn counties. Last month, a string of active shooter reports was called in to South Carolina schools, including Beaufort High School.

In a statement to reporters outside of the school filmed by the Savannah Morning News, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System spokesperson Sheila Blanco said the incident at the school was a hoax.

“It could have been some type of hoax to draw law enforcement resources to one area,” she said.

No arrests have been made and other schools across the district have been placed under a “soft” lockdown as a precaution, Blanco said.

“We have had parents calling schools all across the district worried because they are hearing rumors that something is happening at the other schools,” she said. “That is not the case. This is an isolated incident as far as we know, an isolated phone call.”

In a statement on its Facebook page, the school district said there had been “unconfirmed reports of a gunman in the area of the campus.”

Students were put on lockdown in classrooms and they were later evacuated, officials said in the statement.

At 9:30 a.m., the school had been evacuated, except for a single room on the first floor. The final room of the school had been cleared by 9:51 a.m., according to the Chatham County and Savannah Police Department’s dispatch

“We have no gunshot victims at this time,” said an officer on the dispatch at 9:27 a.m.

Parents began arriving at the school as word spread. Some students jumped a fence to get off campus and to their parents.

“There is no information at this time to confirm that the reports are accurate; however, a full response to the potential threat is taking place for the safety of all occupants,” school officials said in the statement. “Parents will be provided information as to reunification process with students when the all clear is given.”

When asked for comment Wednesday, Savannah Police Department spokesperson Bianca Johnson said all information would be coming from the Board of Education.

A crowd of parents had gathered outside the school and were instructed to head to the Pennsylvania Avenue Resource Center at 425 Pennsylvania Ave.

Dozens of law enforcement officials responded to the call, including 5-6 county agencies and SWAT.

“No reason to confirm that the reports are accurate and we will be providing reunification information to parents,” said Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Director of Communications Stacy Jennings

On Wednesday morning, Brunswick and Camden County high schools, both in Georgia, received active shooter calls, according to The Brunswick News. Both schools went on lockdown, according to the news report, and Camden’s call was determined to be a hoax.

In a statement, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said, “A lockdown was initiated at the school. Emergency responders are evacuating students to a safe unification point while the search continues. Despite social media rumors, there is no information at this time to confirm that the reports are accurate.”

The incident at Savannah High School comes nearly two months after a spate of Oct. 5 hoax “shots fired” calls were made to over 20 South Carolina schools, including Beaufort High School.