Oxford High School locked down due to 'swatting' call; Students evacuated to Meijer

OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Oxford High School is on lockdown after the school district received a call about a possible weapon being in the school. The Oakland County Sheriff is investigating the incident as a bogus threat from an out-of-country call.

According to a statement sent to Oxford students, the high school was locked down around 11:45 a.m. after a phone call that ther may be a weapon in the building.

The school immediately went into ALICE protocol and some students were evacuated and will be meeting at Meijer across the street. The building was secured and access in and out of the school was restricted.

The sheriff's office said in a release that an unknown caller claimed a person was in the bathroom with an AK-47-type automatic rifle and a pipe bomb. 

Law enforcement is continuing to investigate, but do not believe the threat is credible.

"Every threat will be fully investigated, and we will always seek to hold the responsible accountable," sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "We have even worked with partners in Europe to prosecute people in the past."

A ‘swatting’ call is when someone alerts law enforcement to false threat made with the intention of harassing a person or group of people while deceiving police and emergency services. 

Parents should not go to the school. However, parents may pick up their students at the Meijer if their child reached out to them.

The lockdown comes about one month shy of the three-year anniversary of the tragedy at the school where a shooter killed four students and hurt 11 others.

During the tragic shooting in 2021, students were evacuated to Meijer as well.