Monte Vista High School Secure After Search for Weapon on Campus Complete

Monte Vista High School is now secure and operating normally following an early morning report of a weapon being hidden in the bushes somewhere on campus.

A sheriff's dispatcher told Mount Helix Patch that the school was placed on lockdown at approximately 9:30 a.m. after a teacher overheard a conversation between two students about a weapon being hidden on campus.

Sheriff's deputies were dispatched and conducted a search. No weapon was found.

Catherine Martin, public information officer for Grossmont Union High School District, confirmed that the school was placed in “lockdown” status, meaning that teaching stops, the classroom doors are locked, blinds are closed and students take a secure position in their classrooms.

She said that at 10:06 a.m., the threat level was downgraded to “secure campus mode,” which means that the classroom lights are turned back on and teaching continues but that students are not permitted to travel between buildings. An all-call was sent out to parents notifying them of the situation at about 10:25 a.m.

The campus remained at this level while the deputies conducted their search, according to Martin.

At approximately 11 a.m., students were released to their fifth-period classes, and the normal class schedule resumed.

Martin said that several students—including those who were overheard discussing the weapon on campus—were interviewed by deputies.

''The students involved were interviewed, and it was determined the location the students were talking about was not on campus,'' said sheriff's Sgt. Bill Hout. A follow-up search at a teenager's La Mesa home turned up nothing illegal, Hout added.

City News Service contributed to this story.