Police say report of a shooting at Wilson High School was a hoax [Update]

Feb. 24—About 100 law enforcement officers descended on the Wilson High School campus during Friday morning classes after Berks County dispatchers fielded a call, which was later determined to be a hoax, about a shooting in the school.

Officers from about a dozen departments, some in tactical gear, responded to assist Spring Township police in the search for the shooter. The school district implemented its emergency procedures for an active-shooter scenario, and officers were searching inside the school within minutes of the dispatch, Spring Township Lt. Steve Brock said.

The high school and adjacent Whitfield Elementary School were placed on lockdown.

An automated message sent just before 9 a.m. from Dr. Chris Trickett, district superintendent, indicated there was no confirmed report of a shooting but said law enforcement was searching the building.

Parents were advised to stay away from the school and were directed instead to gather at GT Church.

Police did a complete sweep of the two buildings that make up the high school and found no weapons or victims, school officials said.

Police determined the call was a hoax and was intended to provoke a police response.

Parents were notified that students at the high school were being dismissed for the day one bus at a time, starting at 10 a.m.

Brock said the immense police response was because the caller described an active-shooter scenario.

The unidentified caller's vague message indicated people were shot and someone was in the building with a gun.

Brock commended the school district for its response and quick communication to the school's families.

"I actually have a child who attends this school," he said, "so I can see things from the other end of it besides my professional lens, so I think it was collectively a great response and had anything happened we would have had it under control very quickly."

Early on, police suspected the call might be a hoax, but they treated it as if there was a real threat.

"There was only one phone call that was received, which is abnormal," Brock said, adding that he would expect dispatchers to be flooded with calls during a school shooting, given the prevalence of cellphones.

"We'd rather be here and err on the side of caution and have more of a presence," he said, "than have to catch up after the fact because these things can unfold quickly."

Brock said his department trained for such a scenario within the past few months.

"Obviously every situation is going to be different, but we're much more prepared than years past because, unfortunately, there's been a lot of these types of incidents in our country," he said.

Brock said his department will prosecute the caller, who has yet to be identified.

Another school district in the region was also victimized by a hoax call Friday morning.

Authorities in Chester County said police were called at 8:10 a.m. for a report of an intruder at Lionville Middle School in Uwchlan Township, near Exton.

The call appeared to be from outside of the region.

Police searched the entire building and confirmed that the report was unfounded and there was no intruder.

Spring Township police said they're working with investigators in Uwchlan Township to determine if there is any connection between the hoaxes.