Columbus High School Received Online Threats

This morning parents of Columbus Africentric Early College students found themselves rushing to pick up their students from school. UnBossed! has learned that school administrators placed the building on a level two lockdown after learning the campus had a threat placed against.

The image below is what several students received in their Instagram DMs. 

When we arrived on scene the Columbus Division of Police did have six cruisers at the school building investigating. 

Lockdown procedures

By searching through CCS website UnBossed! was able to learn what the procedures for lockdown are within the district and what calls for a lockdown.

**Taken directly from CCS website**

Lockdown: Level 1 Monitor: Possible Threat - Exterior doors and windows are locked and secured. Free movement within the school building is permitted. Students and staff may be released by a public address announcement. This response is usually used for an outside threat. 

Lockdown: Level 2 Standby: Probable Threat - Students in halls and restrooms move to the nearest classroom. Classroom doors and all exterior doors/windows are immediately locked. Students may move about the locked classroom. Students and staff may only be released from lockdown by police, administrator, or designated staff. 

Lockdown: Level 3 Emergencies: Full Crisis - Activate Command Post. Students in halls and restrooms move to the nearest classroom. Classroom doors and all exterior doors/windows are immediately locked. Cover windows and door window panels, if can be accomplished safely. Sit on floor out of sight of windows. Take attendance, include the names of people who have entered and are not usually in your class. Do not open doors or windows. Do not follow PA announcement directions. Students and staff may only be released from lockdown by police, administrator, or designated staff.

Lack of communication

CPD spokesperson Sgt. James Fuqua was contacted for comment and he had no knowledge of the incidents and told us that he would need to look into this.

UnBossed! also attempted several times to reach Jacqueline Bryant, the Director of Communication for comment and she was unavailable. We were told she was currently in a meeting and couldn’t take our call.

When we reached out to several school board members both outgoing and incoming they had no clue that any threats had been made against any of their schools.

We’re told by sources from within the district that threats come in all the time. They’re investigated and if deemed credible CCS has a direct line of communication to law enforcement officials.

Parents on scene expressed to UnBossed! that they were upset the district didn’t communicate with them that “[their] children’s safety could’ve been in danger.”