FINDLAY, Ohio — Last week, Findlay High School was targeted with a swatting call, which is a phony threat, causing the school to go into lockdown.
Now city and school leaders are looking at the response to the threat to see what they can learn from the situation.
According to a release from Findlay City Schools, law enforcement was under the impression this could have been a hoax call right away since the call did not come through the standard emergency line.
But everyone involved knew they still had to take this threat seriously until proven otherwise.
"It's just frustrating and sad, and quite frankly I'm angry that even our children have to go through times like this," Findlay City Schools superintendent Andy Hatton said.
Last Tuesday, Findlay police officers, Hancock County Sheriff's deputies and Ohio State Highway Patrol rushed into FHS after a call came in saying students were being held at gunpoint in a second-floor bathroom.
High School principal Meg Simon said those officers were on the scene within three minutes of the call, and they arrived right as the school was activating its new Safe Defend security system.
"Quite frankly, I had little to no time to even respond to if I was worried because they were here and they were ready," Simon said.
"(Safe Defend) puts the entire building on notice that we are going into a level three lockdown," Hatton said. "The Safe Defend worked just as it is supposed to. Those of us who get the immediate text message know exactly what to do and exactly where to go."
Because officers knew most of the students were safe and accounted for in their secured classrooms, they were able to effectively clear the building of threats.
But Rob Martin, Findlay Service-Safety Director, said some parents were upset at the perceived lack of information during the incident.
He said during moments like these, though it's difficult, people have to wait for the single, official source of information and not rely on social media conjecture.
"Calculated, accurate information instead of misinformation or partial information," Martin said. "So what goes out to the community and the families, when it goes out, and what goes out is crucial."
The district is now reviewing its response to the incident and is looking at ways to improve.
One area Superintendent Hatton said leaders will focus on is communication with first responders before they arrive as many officers were confused as to why so many students were outside the building.
It was because the district was on an internal two-hour delay for state testing.
"We did learn a lot from that particular day on how we can even get better," Hatton said.
Superintendent Hatton also said he will be reaching out to elected officials to see if there is any way swatting or other hoax calls can be prevented, or more strictly punished.