Hilliard police locked down three schools on Walker Road on Tuesday, Oct. 27, after receiving multiple phone calls threatening Hilliard Bradley High School.
The Hilliard Division of Police received the calls around 7:40 a.m. from a person making "vague" threats against Bradley, according to district information cited by WBNS 10TV. The caller claimed not to be a student at the school, police said.
Bradley High School, Memorial Middle School and Brown Elementary were placed on a Level 2 lockdown while officers searched the grounds, according to WBNS. The three schools sit next to each other on Walker Road. WSYX ABC 6 reported that two schools, Memorial Middle and Bradley High, were locked down, while WBNS reported all three were affected.
Under a Level 2 lockdown, the district suspends outdoor activities, locks classroom doors and windows, and keeps students in their classrooms. The designation is used when there is a potential threat near the building, according to the district.
Police determined the threats were not credible after an initial investigation. The schools were then downgraded to a Level 1 lockdown, which restricts outdoor activities but allows classes to continue on a typical schedule.
The difference matters for families. A Level 2 lockdown confines students to their classrooms. A Level 1 lockdown lets instruction continue while keeping students indoors.
The Hilliard Division of Police said they would maintain an increased presence at the schools for the rest of Tuesday as a precaution.
Brown Elementary families were told they could still bring students to school, and students already on buses would be taken to school, according to WBNS.
Hilliard police detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.
Residents with information can contact the Hilliard Division of Police at (614) 876-7321.
