Dear Staff & Families/Caregivers:
Today, the Austin Public Schools placed all buildings under lockdown after Austin Police Department, via the Mower County Dispatch, received a phone call at approximately 11:20 AM today reporting an active shooter at the Austin High School. We took immediate action and collaborated with the Austin Police Department and Mower County Sheriff’s Office, which conducted an investigation.
Law enforcement and school district officials determined there was no active threat to student safety. The lockdown was removed, and students and staff resumed normal teaching and learning activities.
This appears to be a situation that has affected many school districts across Minnesota today. There have been numerous reports of schools receiving internet-based phone calls with these threats, which are unsubstantiated. It appears to be part of a hoax known as “swatting.” Ours was one of the school districts affected.
While this threat was a likely hoax, we understand the anxiety a situation like this can cause for our families, students, staff, and community. Please know that our top priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We take any and all reports of potential threats seriously, and we are making every effort to maintain an environment where students and staff feel safe. I especially want to thank our staff for their responsiveness and our first responders.
We would like to continue to encourage our students and school community to report anything that could constitute a threat to school safety. As always, we work closely with local law enforcement to assist in these situations.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your attention to this important update.
Sincerely,
Joey Page, Ed.D. I Superintendent I Austin Public Schools
(W) 507-460-1900 I (C) 507-601-8189
