SEATTLE — Police said they found no evidence of a school shooting after receiving reports of a man entering a building in West Seattle with a weapon on Thursday morning.
The Seattle Police Department responded to the Pathfinder K-8 campus to investigate. Police Chief Adrian Diaz said officers arrived at the school just after 10:10 a.m., about seven minutes after a passerby dialed 911 to alert authorities.
While officers responded, a second 911 caller reported there was a school shooting.
Just before 11 a.m., the Seattle Police Department tweeted there was no school shooting.
Diaz said officers searched the school to make sure every door was locked and everything was secure.
"I at least feel good that our students are safe," Diaz said.
Diaz said one of the initial 911 callers said there was a video of the incident, but police have not confirmed if that was true.
“These are the types of situations that we don’t want but know that we're going to do everything we can to make it safe," Diaz said.
Diaz said police are trying to reach both 911 callers to verify their initial reports. The chief said it may have been a miscommunication from a caller who heard there was a school lockdown and thought it was a shooting.
“Hopefully this isn’t just a sick joke, that it’s just misinformed and that again all the kids can return to school,” Diaz said.
According to a statement from Seattle Public Schools, the school went into lockdown while police conducted a sweep of the campus. Police confirmed to the district there was no credible threat to students or staff.
"I immediately called my bosses and said I'm not coming in today," said parent Rich Corate. "My son is in the gym right now locked in one of the closets, he's been texting us."
The school transitioned to a shelter-in-place status Thursday afternoon, maintaining heightened security protocols. During those protocols, all exterior doors are locked and students remain indoors.
"Just that moment of hearing that there is an active shooter to not knowing what is happening," said parent Sarah Ramos-Amador. “Just the world that we’re in right now, that could be a reality and your mind just goes there."
Officials said normal instruction continued until school was dismissed at 3:25 p.m.
“It’s par for the course it seems like these days with the way it seems to be going and no one is doing anything in Congress," Corate said. "It sucks."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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