Authorities locate student accused of sending threatening text that locked down C. Roy Elementary School in Portola
PORTOLA -- C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School was on lockdown Wednesday after reports of a threatening text against students and staff, said the Plumas County Sheriff's Office.
The Plumas County Sheriff's Office received a call from the Veteran's Crisis Center on Wednesday morning at 7:47 a.m., reporting that they had received a text from a subject who identified himself as Paul.
In the text, Paul allegedly said he was homicidal and had plans to kill several people at the C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School. The sheriff's office later said the suspect was a student.
"None of us expected this," said parent Julie Blunk.
Upon notification of the threat, the principal locked down the campus. Multiple units from the Plumas County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, and Sierra County Sheriff's Office worked together to secure the school.
"I felt really helpless because I knew the law enforcement wouldn't let me near the school," Blunk said.
Blunk was among the more than 100 parents outside of the school waiting for information about their children.
"It's the last thing you think is ever going to happen," she said.
Recent mass shootings across the country created panic among parents standing outside the school.
"I feel incredibly grateful that this one didn't end like that," parent Kristal Evans said.
Law enforcement personnel worked with the school to safely release the students to their parents.
"I don't think I've ever hugged my child so tight," Evans said.
No other schools in the district were mentioned, and no suspect information has been released.
Since the student is a juvenile, police were limited in what they could say about them. Right now, it's unclear how the student was located and whether they had any weapons on them.