Police investigate hoax reports of school shootings in Anchorage and Fairbanks

Police in Anchorage and Fairbanks say they are investigating reports of active shooters at high schools Wednesday afternoon that drew a major law enforcement response but proved to be false.

The Anchorage Police Department said a caller “stated there was an active shooter” at Eagle River High School at 1:34 p.m., near the end of the school day.

“Officers have determined that claim to be unfounded,” police said in a statement. “There have been no shots fired, no weapons found, and no injuries.”

The source of the report remains under investigation. A police spokeswoman declined to answer additional questions Wednesday afternoon.

In Fairbanks, a similar call came in just before 2 p.m. on the 911 line when someone reported an active shooter at Lathrop High School.

The Fairbanks Police Department, as well as other area law enforcement agencies, “immediately responded to the school,” the department said. “As of 2:18 pm, there has been no confirmation that there is an active shooter or that there are any injuries.”

A message from the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District to families said that all students were safe “and the threat has been confirmed to be fake.”

In Anchorage, dozens of patrol cars could be seen speeding toward the Glenn Highway at the time of the Eagle River High School active shooter report.

Eagle River principal Tim Helvey, in a message to families Wednesday afternoon, said school officials “immediately put the building in a stay put” after police relayed information about a call describing an active shooter on campus. “Stay put” status generally means students and staff remain inside classrooms.

“Multiple APD officers responded to campus within minutes,” Helvey wrote. “Once in the building, they verified there was no threat.”

Police directed school officials to lift the stay put at 1:56 p.m. and proceed with normal student release at 2 p.m., he said. “While a stay put incident can be an alarming experience for everyone involved, we responded in this manner to ensure the safety of all students and staff on campus until APD could verify the credibility of the threat. We appreciate APD’s quick response in this situation.”

Students at Lathrop and nearby Ryan Middle, Hunter Elementary, and Barnette Magnet schools were placed on lockdown, said Rebecca Hurbi, communications director at Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.

Law enforcement went classroom-to-classroom securing Lathrop High, district officials said in a statement. At approximately 2:27 p.m., the schools were removed from lockdown.

When asked questions about what happened, including whether police believe the two incidents were connected, Anchorage police spokeswoman Renee Oistad said the department wasn’t releasing additional information at this time, that an investigation was underway and that any further updates would occur via the Nixle public-notification system.

Fairbanks police spokeswoman Teal Soden said if the incidents weren’t connected, “it’s a pretty big coincidence. But the investigation regarding that will take place.”

FBI spokeswoman Chloe Martin in Anchorage said the agency was aware of the “swatting incidents” — making a prank call to emergency services to try to attract a large number of armed law enforcement — and that law enforcement responded accordingly.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District said it will make its emotional support team available at Lathrop on Thursday for students and staff “who may have been understandably shake by the events of today.” An officer will also be present.

Soden said the situation was highly unusual.

“It’s not super common for somebody to actually call in an active shooter and say that there are children that have been shot,” she said.