The FBI is now helping Maine State
Police and other agencies in tracking
down the person or persons behind
a series of calls to schools and
police departments across Maine,
falsely claiming that there was an
active shooter at their high school.
Good evening, everyone.
I'm Amanda hill.
And I'm Brian yacono.
And for Pat Callahan today,
one of the first calls to
police was in Sanford,
and it elicited a strong response.
We will have more on that coming up in
just a moment after the Stanford call.
Similar ones were received in
at least ten other communities.
It wasn't long before police
noticed the pattern.
Still, the calls did trigger
lockdowns and lockouts at schools
in those towns and cities.
One of the biggest responses was,
of course, in Stanford,
where the hoax caller had reported
that there was someone with a
long gun in the high school
and that people were injured.
The school was locked down and
in a matter of minutes there was
a large police presence outside.
Around noontime,
means Commissioner of public
safety and the Sanford School
Superintendent spoke with reporters.
So not only is this a criminal scenario,
but these are callous and
inhumane acts against our kids,
against our residents,
against these parents,
and we need to make sure that we
are reacting that accordingly.
And from a law enforcement perspective,
we are all in on a criminal investigation
to see if we can bring somebody to justice.
Very fortunate.
That it was not credible and a hoax,
but at the same time very proud.
Of our students and our staff
and our community and all the
resources that you saw,
come together and rally to
help us work through this.
Even though the threat in
Sanford as well as all the
others turned out to be a hoax,
it was still a difficult day
for students and parents.
New Center Maine Sean Stackhouse
is live in Sanford tonight with the
emotional toll from this threat. Sean.
Finding Amanda while this school
shooting threat here in Sanford is
still believed to have been a hoax,
the pain that it caused the
community was very real.
I spoke with parents and students
about what happened this morning
and the concern it caused. The
information, I didn't say that. I said.
Why isn't telling us that all the time?
We're standing here, parents
pleading for information in Sanford.
This morning, rumors of a reported
shooting at Sanford High School
running rampant on social media,
causing parents to fear for the worst.
Absolutely the most terrorizing
feeling in the world. Students
inside the high school at the time telling
their parents that the school is in lockdown.
They say police rushed into the building.
They just came running in with
AR's and it was confusing.
We were all kind of confused.
And then we were like,
OK, so this is real.
Students telling us they
took safety into their own
hands. I just saw the cops show up.
They all ran in they we
had barricaded the doors.
We boarded it up with all the
tables and chairs in the classroom.
Students were bussed from Sanford High
School to the Sanford Memorial Gym.
Hundreds of parents lined the streets
and packed around the building,
waiting for a glimpse of their
loved one was holding my daughter.
So I feel much better now.
Hundreds of other parents having emotional
reunions with their students. Good
to death. Worst thing you could
ever think of. You know what I mean?
Parents and students brought many
still emotional or feeling that sense
of relief they hoped would come.
Very relieved, very much so.
They pray for all these parents and
kids that they never have to go
through anything like this again.
Many of the students as well
as parents that we spoke
with shared similar sentiments about the
concern and fear that this incident caused,
but didn't wish to speak on camera.
They just wanted to be home and spend the
rest of their day with their loved ones.
There will no be no school
here in Sanford tomorrow.
Classes will resume on Thursday
for students at the high school,
and we'll update you on air and online
as soon as we learn more information.
Live in Sanford tonight,
Sean Stackhouse NEWS CENTER, Maine.