Sean C. Morgan
In response to an unverified report of potential violence in the Sweet Home School District, Sweet Home Police Department and Linn County Sheriff’s Office increased their presence around local schools on Thursday, Oct. 29,
“All precautions are being taken with increased police presence in and around the buildings,” said Police Chief Jeff Lynn on Thursday.
He said School Resource Officer Geoff Hamlin contacted the party who reportedly received a text message from a third party regarding the alleged threat. That person was unable to provide any verifiable details regarding the source of the threatened violence.
School officials became aware of the threat at about 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, said Supt. Keith Winslow. The report originated with an employee of the Lebanon School District. The employee mentioned it, and eventually the report reached Sweet Home officials.
The employee told the officer she couldn’t remember where she had seen the alleged threat of violence, Winslow said. The report initially mentioned the high school, but during the investigation, that was no longer clear.
“We were fairly certain it was bogus, but we took it seriously,” Winslow said. “We took it seriously anyway. What if she did see something?”
The district didn’t go into lockdown, but officials wanted to take precautions just in case. Classrooms were locked while in use, and some high school entrances were locked. The main doors remained unlocked.
The high school held an assembly in the morning and a dance in the evening, Winslow said. Officials wanted to make a police presence known just in case, and they put information about the threat on the district website on Oct. 28.
Were the threat more credible, the district might have taken further steps, including a lockdown, Winslow said.
“Our new SRO has been very, very active,” Winslow said. “He’s great to work with. The whole Police Department is. The day went as usual, with a few more police officers.”