Rockwood School District has increased the law enforcement presence at its four high schools today, April 22, following an anonymous threat.
According to Chief Communications Officer Mary LaPak, the district was alerted Sunday morning, April 21, by the University City Police Department of a 911 call threatening to “shoot up a Rockwood high school.” The 911 call was made about midnight Saturday, April 20, she said.
LaPak said the district is working closely with the St. Louis County Police Department.
“We spent all day (Sunday) working with law enforcement trying to track things down and then working with administrators, trying to narrow down who it may have come from, but we had zero luck, given the information we have, tying it to any district student,” she said.
The district has four high schools: Eureka High, Lafayette High in Wildwood, Marquette High in Chesterfield, and Rockwood Summit High in Fenton.
Superintendent Curtis Cain sent a letter to Rockwood high school families on Sunday evening. Cain said in the letter the origin of the call is under police investigation, and investigators believes the call was made from outside the district.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we will have an increased police presence at each of our high schools on Monday, in addition to the presence of our SROs and district safety officers,” Cain said in the letter. “The Rockwood School District and law enforcement officials take any threat very seriously and we will take this opportunity to remind students that anyone caught making a threat or sounding a false alarm will be held accountable and face disciplinary consequences.”
Eureka Police Capt. Michael Werges said his department was notified of the threat along with all other agencies within the district. Werges said University City Police Department is leading the investigation and they believe the call came from an out-of-state number.
He said Eureka Police coordinated with Rockwood security to provide additional security today.
“Our two SROs are in communication with Rockwood to coordinate coverage, and we have placed resources out there (at Eureka High School),” Werges said. “We have extra people assigned to the schools today, and we have extra people out on the road.”
LaPak said the district will continue to cooperate with the threat investigation. She said everything is going smoothly at the district’s schools today. Support services will be provided for any student or staff member who may need it, she said.
“We absolutely have counseling on hand throughout the district for anyone who needs it in addition to our social workers,” she said.