A SFHS student in possession of a gun threatened another student after an altercation on Friday, Jan. 19, which led to an investigation and subsequent lockdown on the morning of Monday, Jan. 22, as police and school authorities took action.

According to an SFPD press release, responding officers learned of an altercation in a school restroom on Jan. 19, between the 15-year-old subject and another male student. According to the report, a firearm was brandished at that time.

Coach Holladay told The Demon Tattler that the school became aware of the situation from a tip sent through the anonymous reporting system “Say Something” which is downloaded by default on every student’s ClassLink LaunchPad. The initiative is a function of the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, which is dedicated to making schools safer across the nation. The tip line can be accessed through the ClassLink homepage or at this link. Submitted tips are channeled to both District and SFHS authorities.

An SFPD press release detailed the unfolding of events on Monday morning: “School personnel interviewed the 15-year-old student, and video surveillance showed the student abruptly leaving the school campus wearing a backpack and getting in a red pick-up truck.” The pick-up truck was found in the vicinity of the 3000 block of Calle Princesa Juana, where the suspect was apprehended.

The unnamed 15-year-old student was taken into custody and then released after questioning, where he admitted to obtaining the firearm in December.

New interim principal Mr. Lain announced the lockdown on the intercom at 9:25, and procedures were taken to barricade all classroom doors with Rhino locks, a system that jams the door into the ground from inside. Students and teachers were not allowed to enter or leave classrooms during this period under any circumstance, and SFPD blocked exits and entrances to campus.

The lockdown was lifted at approximately 10 a.m. and little information was shared with students, parents, or teachers as to what the threat was at the time, other than a Remind message that read: “This morning, Santa Fe High School was placed under lockdown due to a threat made to a student by a student. Santa Fe Public Schools worked with the Santa Fe Police Department to investigate the threat and determined that there was no danger to any staff or students.”

The Santa Fe Police Department arrived during the lockdown to search for the person of interest and several student vehicles were inspected.

Members of the school community have expressed displeasure with the district’s communication during the emergency. One parent left a comment under the first story that broke on the situation from the Santa Fe New Mexican. “Extremely frustrating that the only communication that we received was from my daughter who was placed in a closet,” commented Larry Katz. “Seems I get countless texts regarding mundane stuff but nothing regarding a lockdown.”

SFPS Executive Director of School Security Mario Salbidrez said that managing information output during emergencies is a “very difficult act to juggle” because of the sensitivity of ongoing investigations.

Salbidrez stated that the situation is being dealt with appropriately and all existing danger has been diffused. “It was an isolated incident and the threat was directed to one individual, not the entire student body,” he said.