Police Respond to False Report of Gunfire at Blair High School; Lockdown Lifted After Sweeps

Blair Middle and High School and the nearby Altadena Arts Elementary campus were placed on lockdown Friday morning following a false report of gunfire that Pasadena police later determined to be a swatting incident, officials said.

The Pasadena Police Department received a single call around 10:15 a.m. reporting seven gunshots at Blair School, prompting a rapid response from patrol officers.

According to Watch Commander Lt. Matt Campeau, officers cleared the location, conducted a full search of the campus, and found no evidence of gunfire or any threat.

SWAT was not deployed.

Campeau said that school staff were unaware of any incident until they were notified by police. No suspects have been identified, and it remains unclear whether the call was anonymous.

Pasadena Unified School District spokesperson Hilda Ramirez Horvath confirmed that Blair Middle and High Schools and Altadena Arts Elementary campuses were locked down as a precaution. The lockdown was lifted at 11:03 a.m. after police completed a campus sweep.

Officers planned to maintain an enhanced presence in the area for the remainder of the day, Ramirez Horvath said.

“The safety of students, staff, and everyone on our campuses is our top priority,” Ramirez Horvath said, thanking students, staff, and neighbors for their cooperation. She also praised the school community for following emergency protocols and drills during the incident. No injuries were reported.

Pasadena Chief Communications Officer Lisa Derderian said calls like this appear be on the rise across the country.

““Unfortunately, this seems to be more on school campuses throughout
the country and although this one was a swatting call, school officials and
students need to take it seriously — as it was handled today — until police can
confirm the legitimacy,” Derderian said.

Swatting is a term that refers to false crime reports that often prompt a
SWAT team response.

The investigation into the false report is ongoing.