Westside Elementary School canceled outdoor activities on May 15 after a threat that “referenced a possible school shooting” on that day. Administrators said they investigated and deemed the threat non-credible.

A May 14 letter to parents stated that the student who allegedly made the threat was identified a day ahead of the threatened act of violence and was not permitted on school property on May 15. 

Law enforcement conducted a “wellness check” at the student’s residence to ensure there was no access to weapons. The letter stated that “disciplinary action will be taken.”

“The school is handling this as a student matter and following procedures outlined in division policy and the Student Code of Conduct,” IWCS spokeswoman Lynn Briggs said.

A follow-up May 15 letter stated that Westside administrators and law enforcement “conducted multiple interviews and reviewed facts related to this situation” and “concluded there is no evidence to indicate this was a credible threat.”

“Initial conversations among students seem to have escalated, with additional details being added that were not based in truth,” Westside Principal Matthew Johnson stated in the May 15 letter. “It is important to note that spreading false information not only causes unnecessary fear and disruption, but also risks unjustly harming others’ reputations.”

Westside resumed its normal schedule, including outdoor activities, on May 16. Johnson said a separate rumor regarding a bomb threat circulated on May 15 but was also deemed non-credible.