Police arrest three juveniles suspected of instigating shooter threat at West Hills Lemoore

The juvenile suspects were charged with conspiracy and reporting a false emergency. Lemoore detectives obtained evidence on Tuesday identifying the three juveniles as responsible for the disruption to West Hills College, Child Development Centers, Lemoore University Elementary Charter, and Lemoore Middle College High School.

Local law enforcement agencies, including the Lemoore Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Hanford Police Department and the Kings County Sheriff’s Office quickly responded to the report of a shooter on Lemoore’s West Hills College campus about today (May 8).

Before noon, the Lemoore Police Department dispatch center received a call reporting possible shots fired on the West Hills College Lemoore campus.  This report was made from a caller on a cellular device, who began the call in front of the Lemoore Middle College High School and ended the call close to the Lemoore University Elementary Charter School, both located on the West Hills College Lemoore Campus.  

However, after placing the school on lockdown (the college campus is also home to Middle College High School and a Lemoore Elementary Charter School) officers and investigators checked all the buildings and didn’t find anybody, suggesting that it may have been a false call.

But law enforcement officials didn't take any chances as they reacted quickly to the report. Lemoore Commander Margaret Ochoa said that after the campus was cleared, “there were no additional callers and the original caller would not answer on call back.” Communication between departments was constant as each administrator confirmed his or her building was locked down.

Based on comments by staff and others at the school, things proceeded calmly. One teacher indicated that previous training and campus drills, and the school's emergency alert technology "insured that staff and students were sheltered quickly and safely."

All the campus schools resumed a regular schedule after the lunch break, and by 2 p.m. the campus was back to normal. The Lemoore Police Department will continue to investigate.