Two schools in Lexington searched by law enforcement, district official says
A safety tip prompted law enforcement officers to search two Midlands schools Wednesday, according to a spokeswoman for Lexington County School District 1.
Both Lexington High School and Lexington Technology Center, which share a campus on U.S. 1/Augusta Highway, were searched, Lexington 1 Chief Communications Officer Libby Roof told The State.
“Everyone is safe,” Roof said at about 11 a.m., as law enforcement continued to sweep the schools.
At about noon, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said deputies cleared the school of any threat, and operations returned to normal.
Both schools were placed on the “secure” safety protocol as a precaution, Roof said.
The “secure” response is part of the “standard response protocol” used by school districts nationwide. In 2021, the foundation that developed this protocol changed some of the terminology used, and what is now referred to as secure is what was previously called a lockout.
The secure status was put into effect after a safety tip was reported to a Lexington High administrator a little before 10 a.m., Roof said. The message said that a student on campus had a weapon and included a threat against the campus, Roof said in a letter sent to students’ parents.
“No credible threat has been found at this time,” the sheriff’s department said before noon, before clearing the schools. “However, as part of our work to ensure a safe environment for students and faculty, extra deputies are on campus assisting with the investigation.”
Roof said although the threat had very low probability of credibility, school and district officials, who always take safety reports seriously, notified law enforcement and took the proper safety precautions. Law enforcement responded to the school to assist with the investigation and conducted a search of the campus, and no weapons were found, Roof said.
“As always, the safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority and threats against our schools will not be tolerated,” Roof said in the letter. “While it is a relief when a threat turns out to be a hoax, the disruption to teaching and learning and the emotional impact negatively impacts all of us.
“Families, please encourage your students to report anything concerning to an adult. We all have important roles to play in keeping our schools safe.”
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This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Two schools in Lexington searched by law enforcement, district official says."
