LIHUE — Another anonymous threat interrupted classes at a Kapaa school Friday morning, the fifth such incident in the past month and the second in two days.
Kapaa Middle School went on lockdown shortly after 8 a.m., according to the following announcement on the school’s website:
“Our administration was made aware of an alleged threat to our campus this morning. The Kauai Police Department has been contacted and is on campus. The safety of your child is of utmost importance and a security plan has been initiated out of an abundance of caution.”
Students were evacuated as a safety precaution at Kapaa Elementary and Kapaa High as well, but classes resumed as normal around a half hour later, according to officials at both schools.
A county spokesperson said KPD officers determined there was no credible threat at Kapaa High and Kapaa Elementary around 9 a.m., and students were returned to class. By 9:30 a.m., police had given Kapaa Middle School the all-clear as well.
The investigation of both incidents today remains ongoing, according to the county spokesperson.
Friday morning marked the fifth threat since Sept. 20, when Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School administrators shut down the campus after a student allegedly made threatening social media posts.
Kauai High was forced to close its doors just five days later while police looked into a threat made via text message, and Waimea and Kauai High schools closed early on Sept. 30, as law-enforcement officials investigated reports of threatening text messages.
The threat to Kapaa High was the second in two days. Police on Thursday detained one person and identified “persons of interest” in connection to threats of violence made that morning against Kapaa High and Kauai High.
State Department of Education officials placed both campuses on lockdown, along with Kapaa Elementary School. St. Catherine School, located a block up the road from the two Kapaa public schools, also shut down its campuses as a precautionary measure.
Police determined the threats were false about an hour later.
