Officials: Knife recovered after Westmont high school lockdown
Apr. 8—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Westmont Hilltop Junior-Senior High School student turned over a knife to administrators and the school police officer on Thursday following a search started by a Safe2Say tip.
"Through our initial investigation, there was no direct threat to students or employees," Superintendent Thomas Mitchell said in a release.
Students and staff entered a lockdown procedure after school leaders received the information. The students were not allowed to move throughout the school until it was established that there was no threat.
The reported student was searched by the Westmont school police officer and administrators. That's when the knife was recovered, school officials said.
According to school officials, district procedures worked properly, the incident has been referred to county agencies and local law enforcement to continue the investigation, and the district will follow their recommendations.
"I commend the students that reported the incident and the administration's immediate response to the report," Mitchell said. "Our response will reflect the seriousness of the situation when we receive a report of a weapon or threat within our schools. School safety is everyone's responsibility."
