Knox County 911 received what Operations Director Laura Webster said was most likely a swatting call that caused a lockdown of East Knox County High and Elementary Schools on Jan. 12.
According to a Knox County Commission meeting video on January 15, Webster said the center received an anonymous call just before the East Knox Local School District was warned about an armed threat. She noted that such calls are often computer-generated, causing delays in responses to questions posed to the caller. "Sometimes the answers don't match the questions," she said. The number used was traced back to California, although Webster mentioned that many such calls originate from other countries.
In a letter from East Knox Local Schools Superintendent Richard J. Baird, it was said that students resumed classes on schedule on January 14, two days after the incident. Baird reported that law enforcement agencies conducted a thorough sweep of the school buildings and found no threat.
Baird's letter also indicated that there was an increased law enforcement presence when schools reopened on January 14. Weapons detectors were installed at entry points, and students were instructed to remove specific items from their bags upon arrival to expedite screenings. Social workers were available in classrooms to provide wellness checks and trauma support for students affected by the lockdown.
The school district's Facebook post noted that schools were closed on Thursday, January 15 due to weather conditions and remained closed on January 16 for a staff in-service day. Additionally, schools were closed again on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
