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UPDATE: FBI taking lead on hoax call threatening shooter at WBHS
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · January 17, 2024
In what appears to be a hoax, a robocall to West Branch High School and others threatened an active shooter and prompted a lockdown that lasted less than an hour this afternoon.
No injuries were reported. The FBI is taking the lead on the investigation.
“After a thorough investigation, it was determined to be a swatting incident. Similar calls affected schools across the state, prompting lockdowns,” Cedar County Sheriff’s Office posted to social media about 3:40 p.m. “We want to assure the community that the situation is now under control. Students were released at their regular time once authorities confirmed the safety of the schools.”
West Branch Police Sgt. Cathy Steen wanted to assure the community that law enforcement determined there was no threat once they finished a sweep of the building.
The sheriff’s post stated that they and other law enforcement are coordinating their efforts to address the "SWATtmg, which is meant to prompt SWAT teams or other large police presence to a supposed emergency. It also asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department.
“The safety of our community is a top priority, and we appreciate your cooperation during these challenging times,” read the sheriff’s post. “Updates on the investigation will be shared as available.”
Steen appeared at the middle-high school within three minutes – about 2:20 p.m. — followed by half a dozen other officers from Cedar County and Johnson County sheriff’s departments, Tipton Police, and Iowa State Patrol.
Most went to the middle-high school building but a couple others went to Hoover Elementary just in case, Superintendent Marty Jimmerson said.
The school made an announcement soon after the call came in that students should remain in their classrooms or get into a classroom until allowed to leave. Students inside the school reported seeing officers with guns drawn while walking through the hallways.
Steen said protocol calls for clearing the building with guns drawn. “Officer Cathy” — as students know her — carried an AR-15 rifle.
Some students looked out windows at the scene in front of the school where squad cars lined up near the front entrance and along the western driveway.
Parents began arriving about 3 p.m. to find the front doors locked. A few students were accompanied by Principal Sara Oswald to meet with parents waiting outside.
Jimmerson arrived about the same time and went out of his way to speak briefly to this reporter.
“We received a SWAT call,” the superintendent said, “Other schools in the state received something very similar today. At this point in time, I think we followed the right protocols of getting Cedar County and West Branch PD here.”
Officers entered the building and began searching for a possible shooter; Jimmerson called it a “perimeter check.”
Jimmerson said the building would remain locked down until law enforcement gave the go-ahead that it was safe to let the students leave.
The superintendent said high school secretary Ruth Farmer took the call.
“We want to make sure all of our students and staff are safe,” Jimmerson said.
The school sent an email to parents at about 2:37 p.m. about the threat. They followed up with an “all clear” at 3:23 p.m.
“At this point in time, we feel about as comfortable as you can in a situation like this that we are following the right policies and following our plan to ensure students stay safe,” Jimmerson said.
The superintendent said he remembered that something similar happened last year in Iowa. But this SWAT call comes less than two weeks after a shooting at Perry High School that left three dead – including the shooter – and several injured.
“This year, with the tragedy that happened at Perry just weeks ago, obviously everyone’s even more heightened – which we completely understand,” Jimmerson said. “We didn’t necessarily assume it would happen, but we expect that things like this can happen. I think our staff was prepared to handle it.”
Parents who saw the Times’ social media posts and some who also saw the school’s emails about the situation expressed dismay that West Branch would get such calls.
Steen agreed.
“That shouldn’t be happening,” the sergeant said. “I think (the officers) did a good job, but that was an eye-opener.”
Many parents said they would hug their children when they saw them.
One man responded and called it a “very, very scary 15 min or so” with his granddaughter attending the school and calling him.
“When I was a kid all (you) worried about was who punched who in the nose,” he wrote “The schools and the WB Police Department had a plan and thank God for them. It wasn’t real this time and hopefully never will be, but they were as prepared as the could be from the sounds of it!”
A father stated that he feels safe knowing his children attend West Branch’s public schools.
“Even when the threat may not exist, we get 12 squad cars in a matter of 5-10 minutes,” he wrote. “Great job WBPD, Cedar County & others!”
West Branch school staff have received active shooter training in the past. One man called on the school to arm the staff for such situations.
“We should not only have to rely on law enforcement to protect our children!” he posted. “West Branch is a small town (and) it takes a lot of time for law enforcement to arrive to handle and active shooter situation.”
One mother called the situation “pretty messed up when your teenager says this is normal for American schools and they are fine.”
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