CEDAR CITY — Police say an unfounded bomb threat prompted a 75-minute lockdown at Canyon View High School on Thursday morning.

Cedar City Police Sgt. Justin Ludlow debriefed Cedar City News at the scene minutes after the Level 2 lockdown was lifted at 11:45 a.m., approximately an hour and 15 minutes after it was first implemented.

Ludlow said that at approximately 10:30 a.m., as the school was conducting a scheduled fire drill, a student reportedly overheard another student saying that he had a bomb. 

Almost immediately thereafter, officials said, police were notified and Canyon View High School went into a Level 2 lockdown mode, which means all interior classroom doors are locked and no visitors are allowed on campus, although in-classroom activities may continue.

Following up on the tip, police and school officials were able to identify and locate the student who allegedly made the threat.

“We talked to him. He said that he did make the threat but it wasn’t an actual threat,” Ludlow said, adding that the student had apparently made the remark “in jest.”

A bomb-sniffing K-9 from Intermountain Health was deployed to assist. The dog and its handler were seen going into the building shortly before 11:30 a.m.

Ludlow said the K-9 was able to “clear all areas where this student could have been today” and that no threat was found.

The student who allegedly made the threat is being interviewed by officials, according to a social media post made just after noon on Iron County School District’s Facebook page.

“All students are safe and school has returned to normal,” the district’s statement said. “Out of an abundance of caution, there will be an increased law enforcement presence in the area for the remainder of the day.

“We are appreciative of local law enforcement and the quick actions of school administrators in an effort to keep our students safe.”

In addition, because of its proximity to the high school, Canyon View Middle School across the street was placed into lockdown during the incident, although it was a less serious Level 1 lockdown. For a detailed explanation of each of the three levels of lockdown used by Iron County School District schools, visit the Emergency Plan page on the district’s website.

Thursday’s lockdown incident comes less than a month after a report that a suspect had allegedly displayed a gun during a confrontation with a group of students in Canyon View High School’s parking lot. The circumstances surrounding the events of Feb. 27-28, along with how they were investigated and communicated, have been the focus of much discussion about school safety policies and procedures. 

Earlier this week, during Tuesday’s school board work meeting, Superintendent Lance Hatch handed out a written two-page statement regarding last month’s incident.

That statement and an updated timeline were then sent out Wednesday afternoon via the district’s Remind notification system, which also sends texts and emails to the accounts of parents and guardians.

Hatch’s letter, which he also verbally summarized during Tuesday’s school board work meeting, states that he accepts responsibility for the lapses that occurred. 

“There were several instances where our response could have been better,” Hatch said in the statement, which adds in bold, “The responsibility for these shortcomings rests squarely on the Superintendent of Schools.”

Hatch’s statement adds:

Although we have made huge strides in the last two years in providing clarity for learning outcomes, educator collaboration and district mission, vision, values and goals, I have not led the district to the necessary clarity regarding school safety and security. I accept responsibility for this and I have already begun to work to correct this lapse.

Although Tuesday night’s meeting was the board’s regularly scheduled work session, a one-hour comment period was specifically set aside for the board members to hear public concerns related to the Canyon View incident. Several parents, staff members and at least one student shared their opinions with the board.

In the superintendent’s statement, a copy of which can be found on the district website, priority items include the hiring of a designated safety and security specialist, new district-level position that would oversee security checks, emergency drills, staff training and collaboration with school resource officers.

Also high on the priority list is configuring the entryways at district schools to be “single point of entry,” with keyless remote locking mechanisms on exterior doors.

“If we get this right, we will basically always be in a Level 1 lockdown,” Hatch noted.

Hatch’s statement also promises better two-way communication between school resource officers and school and district administrators, along with “clearer and earlier” communication with parents during real and drilled security procedures.

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