Threat puts a couple of northwest Indiana schools under lockdown
Update - Valparaiso Police Deparment - 1:30 PM:
The Valparaiso Police Department reports that around 8:35 AM on January 9th, they were notified by phone of a possible threat that was going to be carried out at Valparaiso High School. According to the threat, an explosive device was placed in a specific location in the school. The high school was put under "Lockdown" the Porter County Sheriff's Department, Valparaiso Police Department, and the Valparaiso Fire Department went to the school to investigate the threat. It was determined by law enforcement that the threat was not credible, and there was no threat to students are staff.
The Valparaiso Police Department, in collaboration with the Valparaiso Community Schools, continues to investigate this incident to identify those who are responsible.
Original Story:
VALPARAISO, INDIANA: According to the Valparaiso Police Department, around 10 AM on Monday, January 9, 2023, the Valparaiso High School was put under "Lockdown," which kept all students in their respective classrooms, and the perimeter of the school was secured. The Valparaiso Police Department said they were investigating an ongoing situation at the school and reported that the students were safe and under no immediate threat.
It was later reported that an unconfirmed phone threat was called into the school, which brought the response of the Porter County Sheriff's Department, Valparaiso Police Department, and the Valparaiso Fire Department to the scene. Valparaiso Community Schools and Valparaiso High School staff were working with officials to determine what the next steps were going to be after investigating the threat. It was determined by the Porter County Sheriff's Department, Valparaiso Police Department, and the Valparaiso Fire Department determined there was no immediate threat to the students or staff.
It was eventually determined that the Valparaiso High School students would be dismissed around 10:45 AM following the disruptions caused by the threat. The Valparaiso High School staff report that normal parent pick-up and bus transportation procedures are being used.
There are also unconfirmed reports that Fegely Middle School in Portage, Indiana, was put under lockdown for a phone threat around 10 AM this morning. We are still working to confirm these reports and will update the story as this information becomes available.
