SANTA CLARA COUNTY (CBS SF) — Police in the South Bay on Tuesday were investigating two separate bomb threats that were called into high schools in Mountain View and San Jose from the same phone number, according to authorities.
Police in Mountain View were investigating the first bomb threat that was called into St. Francisco High School early Tuesday afternoon
READ MORE: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen Testifies On Capitol Hill; Tells Senators ‘We Must Act Now’
Mountain View school bomb threat (CBS)15
Police also assured parents a rumor that there was an active shooter at the school were unfounded.
The Mountain View Police Department Twitter account posted just after 1 p.m. that the threat was called in at the school located on the 1880 block of Miramonte Avenue shortly after 12:30 p.m.
We are aware of a bomb threat that was called into St. Francis High School today shortly after 12:30 pm. Students are being evacuated and we are on scene helping to work to ensure everyone’s safety. We will update when we have more. Follow this thread for more information. pic.twitter.com/iEHtNyYNdB
— Mountain View Police (@MountainViewPD) October 5, 2021
Police said students are being evacuated and officers are on scene helping to work to ensure everyone’s safety.
“We are in constant communication with school officials to help ensure the safety of students and staff. School officials have notified families about where to pick up their students.” a subsequent post read.
Police are also working to determine the credibility of the threat.
Mountain View Police additionally requested that parents not try to come to the school to pick up their students as they conduct a thorough search of the campus.
“The scene is secure and all students are safe at this time with our officers,” one post read. “Earlier rumors of a potential active shooter are completely unfounded.”
School officials have communicated with parents about the reunification location, police said.
School officials also tweeted about the bomb scare, saying that students were safely evacuated to Cuesta Park. The school is also conducting an investigation into the threat.
— SFHSLancers (@SFHSLancers) October 5, 2021
READ MORE: Facebook Testimony Waking Some to Hazards of Social Media For Kids
By 3:15 p.m., Mountain View police said all students had been picked up from the park.
Mountain View police later gave the all clear, saying the search lasted several hours and ultimately determined that there was no threat to the campus.
“We take these incidents seriously, and we are grateful that there was ultimately no threat to students or staff,” said Chief Chris Hsiung. “Schools can and should always be a safe place for all.”
The investigation into who made the call is ongoing.
Meanwhile according to police in San Jose, the second bomb threat was called in at Presentation High School shortly before 2 p.m.
That school campus was also evacuated and SJPD officers were going to be sweeping all buildings at Presentation High for explosives.
Units are currently at Presentation High School handling a bomb threat that was called in at 1:54 PM.
The school has been evacuated and Officers will be conducting a sweep of the campus.
Additional info as it becomes available. pic.twitter.com/b0QNejDya1
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) October 5, 2021
Shortly before 5 p.m., San Jose police confirmed the all clear had been given at Presentation High. Police also confirmed that the bomb threat was called in from the same number in both incidents.
4/ All clear at Presentation HS. The incident will be investigated. Persons making or reporting false emergencies, like a bomb threat, may be arrested.
We can confirm the phone number that the call originated from is the same as the one related to St Francis in Mt View.
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) October 5, 2021
There were reports that the threat called into Presentation High was from a male individual who claimed to attend the school, which is a Catholic all-girl high school.
The incidents were the second and third bomb threats called into South Bay high schools in less than a week.
Just last Friday at nearby Los Altos High School, a bomb threat lead to the evacuation of students by police and Santa Clara County Fire personnel.
MORE NEWS: COVID: Napa County Health Officials Tout 90% Vaccination Rate; Prepare To Vaccinate Kids
A week ago, a suspect was arrested following a ‘non-specific’ online threat that forced San Francisco State University officials to cancel in-person classes.