Phone App Threat Caused East Bridgewater High School Lockdown

EAST BRIDGEWATER, MA — The lockdown at East Bridgewater High School Thursday morning happened because of a threat made on a phone app, Police Chief Scott Allen announced.

Police ended the lockdown at 10:15 a.m., and allowed students to go back to school. There are no immediate threats to the schools, Allen said.

The threat was made through the school's anonymous tip app StopIt. The app lets students and faculty anonymously send messages to school administrators. East Bridgewater Police responded to the threat around 7:15 a.m., immediately after administrators received the threat.

The threat referenced the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, according to police.

School officials immediately placed the school into lockdown mode. Other schools in town had their students shelter in place out of an abundance of caution.

An email was sent out to parents from Principal Brian Duffy at 8:32 a.m.

East Bridgewater Police searched each floor of the school. They also searched all lockers, classrooms and students' backpacks and personal belongings.

"We searched throughout the school and did not locate anything that would verify that the threat was credible," Allen said. “We are confident that there is no danger to the school community, students, faculty or staff."

The school district is investigating the incident with assistance from East Bridgewater Police.

"The district takes all threats seriously and will take all precautionary and necessary measures to contain the possibility of a threat and to keep all students, staff, and personnel safe," Superintendent Elizabeth Legault said.

Patch will update this story.

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