: Incidents of hoax phone calls targeting US schools on historic rise #IndiaNEWS #International Washington, Feb 24 (IANS) Thousands of high school students in two US states returned to classes after

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Incidents of hoax phone calls targeting US schools on historic rise #IndiaNEWS #International
Washington, Feb 24 (IANS) Thousands of high school students in two US states returned to classes after 48 hours of uncertainty from baseless claims of potential violence on their campuses.
Several threats to schools in Californias heavily populated San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles, were received on Tuesday, while schools in at least a dozen Colorado districts went on temporary lockdown or secure mode early Wednesday after receiving a spate of phone threats from unidentified sources, Xinhua news agency reported.
In both states, the threats resulted in administrators locking doors to protect students, the mobilisation and employment of police SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) teams, and desperate parents scrambling to determine the safety and well-being of their children.
In Colorado, school officials said the list of impacted districts on Wednesday covered hundreds of kilometres, from Boulder and Englewood on the Front Range to Aspen in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
No injuries were reported, and some lockdowns were lifted in a matter of minutes, local media reported.
As was also the case in California, none of the threats have been deemed credible, according to Colorados Office of Emergency Management.
Our State Watch Center staff continue to monitor and communicate with local law enforcement to coordinate information related to todays school incidents, the office said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, its Denver office and local law enforcement agencies were continuing to investigate the source of the calls, and law enforcement and school districts believe the threats across the state were coordinated.
It is important to note that law enforcement will use all available resources to investigate a threat until we determine whether it is real or not, the FBI told local media. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity or individuals to law enforcement immediately.
In the Golden State, Alhambra High School was briefly placed on lockdown Tuesday afternoon as authorities investigated an anonymous threat.
The lockdown was lifted an hour later after police swept the school and quickly debunked concerns regarding a photo that was airdropped to some students, Fox11 News reported.
No signs of any threat were discovered during a campus sweep by the police, the schools social media account posted. The release of students was then coordinated by officers and school administrators.
Fourteen kilometers away at Arcadia High School, another threat resulted in a police inquiry, but that the availability of any additional information was delayed.
Earlier Tuesday, El Camino Real High School in nearby Woodland Hills was placed on lockdown after a report of a gunman on campus.

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