'Intruder' Report Triggered Sanderson High School Lockdown

RALEIGH, NC — A report of an intruder triggered a so-called "Code Red" lockdown Monday afternoon at a Raleigh school. Jesse O. Sanderson High School initially said locked down around 2 p.m. so it could investigate information.

The school returned to "Code Green" around 2:30 p.m. The Wake County Public School System said students were dismissing and more information would be relayed to parents.

Principal Gregory Decker later said in a message someone had called the school and warned there was an intruder on campus, media outlets reported.

Authorities arrived immediately, checked our campus and determined there was no intruder on campus," he said. "The lockdown lasted about 40 minutes."

The district had posted around 2 p.m. that students were moved into "safe areas." All interior doors were locked and no one was allowed on campus.

The News & Observer reported students in the east building reported hearing someone banging or kicking on the locked classroom doors.

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"Code Red" means the district learned of an immediate threat to the school.

At around 1:45 p.m. Principal Gregory Decker repeatedly said "Code Red" over the school's intercom the newspaper reported, citing a student's call to a parent.

Reporters at the scene said at least a dozen marked police vehicles responded to the school.

The latest incident comes as the city — and nation — grapples with surging numbers of bomb and shooting threats at schools.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told WRAL-TV last month that his deputies have been spending more time recently following up on bomb and gun threats at local schools.

"I don't know how many we've had [this year]. We've had a ton,"Harrison told the news outlet.

Russ Smith, senior director of security for Wake County schools, told the outlet there were just four bomb threats in the previous school year. He said this year's numbers weren't available yet, but that the number had jumped.

"There have been a numerous increase in the number of bomb threats, the the number of hoax bomb threats that are coming from overseas and other locations, I guess all geared to causing chaos," Smith told WRAL-TV.

Sanderson is back to Code Green. Dismissal is occurring. Information will be sent to parents soon. https://t.co/PYidRJH10f
— Wake County Schools (@WCPSS) May 14, 2018

SCHOOL LOCKDOWN at Sanderson High School. Began around 2pm. @WCPSS spokesperson says the school is currently investigating information they received, with no extra info provided. @raleighpolice have at least a dozen marked units here. @WNCN @SpartanTweets pic.twitter.com/6JwPibGHzo
— Robert Richardson (@RobertReport) May 14, 2018

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