Eureka High School bomb threat investigation ongoing, EPD says threat did not come from EHS student

 

Eureka Police Department and Eureka High School issued a joint statements on bomb threats this week. EPD also issued another press release. 

EPD dealt with the bomb threats this week and officers still had to respond to other calls and show up for court hearings. I will be posting on a court case impacted because EPD Officer Ryan Flowers was called away to EHS. 

EPD and EHS statement:

Eureka High School and the Eureka Police Department are aware of a bomb threat on social media on Thursday, October 10th, 2024. 

This follows two previous threats on Tuesday, October 1st, and Wednesday, October 9th, 2024. Thanks to the technology and resources available, the Eureka Police Department was able to track the individual responsible and swiftly make contact and interview the juvenile.  This incident is still being investigated on a criminal level however, EPD determined there was no credible threat to the students and staff.   We want to emphasize that  threat did not come from a Eureka High School student.

Chief Brian Stephens of the Eureka Police Department stated, “This situation highlights the value of our partnership with Eureka City Schools and the importance of community vigilance. We encourage everyone to be proactive in reporting any suspicious activities. If you see, hear, or sense something concerning, please say something immediately.” 

Rob Standish, Principal of Eureka High School, added, “Our collaboration with law enforcement was key to ensuring the safety of our school community today. We deeply appreciate the swift response and support from the Eureka Police Department. I want to remind everyone—students, parents, and community members—that your role is crucial. If you hear or see something that seems off, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and alert school administration or law enforcement.” The safety of our students, staff, and community remains our top priority, and we thank everyone for their continued support and cooperation. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement and provide updates as necessary.  

EPD Press Release:

On October 10, 2024 at approximately 10:35 a.m., Eureka Police Officers were dispatched to Eureka High School on a report of a note found written on a wall indicating there would be a shooting at the school at a specific time.  

All available EPD resources were immediately deployed to the school.  A lockdown procedure was initiated for the safety of the students and staff and to allow for the investigation.  EPD secured the exterior of the campus while teams of officers, as well as Command Staff, set up inside the school to conduct the threat assessment.  About 30 minutes into the hard lock down, a decision was made to reduce the level of lockdown so students could return to learning within their classrooms only. 

 School Administration identified 38 students that needed to be contacted as a result of the initial investigation.  Staff, with the assistance of EPD, located 19 of those students still on campus.  The other 19 were not on campus at the time of the lockdown.  School administrators interviewed these students and collaborated with EPD to determine there was no active threat to the campus.  The lockdown was lifted at 2:45 p.m. EPD’s School Resource Officer and School Administration have contacted the other 19 students and are conducting interviews with them.  

Chief Brian Stephens states, “I understand that this has been a very trying two weeks for students, staff, parents and our community as we navigate and investigate this criminal behavior.  Understand that EPD’s priority is the safety of our students and staff.  We have no margin of error in these incidents and must take each incident as a viable threat and respond accordingly.  These types of incidents are time consuming to investigate and we appreciate the professionalism and cooperation of EHS Staff and the patience of the student body and parents.   When the person or persons involved in these incidents are identified, they will be held accountable for their inexcusable behavior.”   This is an ongoing and active investigation and EPD is asking anyone that may have information about this string of threats to contact School Resource Officer Ryan Flowers at 707-441-4300, or EHS Administration.