Update: Police respond to called-in threat to Sterling High School

STERLING, Colo. (February 22, 2023) -- The Sterling Police Department is working closely with the Re-1 Valley School District regarding reports of "swatting" telephone calls throughout the state.

Swatting phone calls are defined as person calling a false report to authorities of an eminent threat. Several swatting calls have been documented in Colorado regarding threats made against schools. 

The Sterling Police Department reports none of the threats have been credible or substantiated. Sterling officials are monitoring the situation closely, according to a press release issued by the Department.

The principal at each school has been notified of the statewide swatting situation and the SPD has extra officers patrolling the areas. If this does happen at one of the Sterling schools, SPD officers will respond immediately to keep all students and staff safe.
 
The SPD asks Sterling residents to know the Department is working with school district officials to assure safety of all staff and students.
 
About 1 p.m. today, a call was made to the Sterling City Hall by a person making threats to Sterling High School. The caller was reportedly using language similar to previous swatting calls across the state. Police were already patrolling the high school when the call was made, according to Sterling Police. 
 
Sterling High School was placed on lockdown and other schools on lockout. The school was searched and no threat was found. The police gave an all-clear at 1:48 p.m. and lifted the lockdown and lockout orders.
 
The Morgan County Communications Center received a call through the sheriff's office that there was a man with a gun at Fort Morgan High School. The call included what sounded like gunshots in the background. School and law enforcement officials responded; no viable threat to staff or students was found.  All schools in the district were checked.
 
There will be an increased presence of law enforcement at District facilities, the Morgan County Communications Center reports.