Update: the threat has been deemed a hoax and the lockdown was lifted around 2 p.m.
Students currently sheltering in place
By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica High School is on lockdown following a bomb threat Thursday morning.
At 12:27 p.m., Santa Monica Principal Marae Cruce sent the following email to parents and staff announcing the lockdown.
“At approximately 11:42 a.m. the switchboard operator received a phoned in bomb threat, which was set to go off within 5 minutes. The school contacted the police immediately following this phone call. The school is currently in a Shelter-In-Place, and all students are safely in classrooms,” reads the email. The security team, Santa Monica Police Department and administrators are currently sweeping the campus. We will provide an update once the campus is swept and school resumes as normal.”
According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), as of around 12:50 p.m., no device or suspicious items have been located.
“Students remain on campus as our staff conduct a precautionary search of the area,” the SMPD said.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.