Threat sends YHS into lockdown

  • YPD alerted YISD of an arrest in connection to the threat to YHS at 7:40 p.m. Aug. 29.
    YPD alerted YISD of an arrest in connection to the threat to YHS at 7:40 p.m. Aug. 29.

     

    A threat made over the phone sent Yoakum High School and Yoakum Junior High into lockdown in the final minutes of the school day Monday, according to Yoakum ISD officials.

     

    The call came in at about 3:28 p.m. on Aug. 29, and YISD Superintendent Tom Kelley reported that both schools were in lockdown within minutes of the call to the high school’s main office.

     

    Kelley said those steps were taken to ensure the students’ safety. No students were in danger, nor could any intruders access the campuses once those safety measures were put into place.

     

    “When the threat came to the high school we went into a lockdown mode because we had to figure out where it was coming from, if the person was coming to the school or where they were, until we felt we could safely have those kids leave the school,” said Kelley after Monday night’s special called board meeting to approve the coming year’s budget.

     

    “So, that’s why we held them in there for a while,” he said, estimating the lockdown lasted about 30 minutes until they could get confirmation that the students could safely exit the building. Kelley said Yoakum Police Department and YISD safety protocols successfully secured the campuses within minutes.

     

    “We feel very confident that our kids will be safe and we’ll start school at the regularly scheduled hours tomorrow,” said Kelley. “There will be more security from the area coming in just to be on the safe side.”

     

    Yoakum Police Chief Karl Van Slooten informed YISD that the caller responsible was taken into custody at 7:40 p.m.

     

    Kelley said the school district delayed a press release until about 8 p.m. so information and details from Yoakum Police Department could be collected.

     

    This is a breaking story. More information will be released as it becomes available.