Santee's West Hills High School Lockdown Lifted After False Gun Report, Commendations for Vigilant Student

A recent incident at West Hills High School in Santee imposed a significant level of tension and precaution upon students, staff, and local law enforcement. According to a social media post by the San Diego Sheriff yesterday, deputies were dispatched to the school just before 3:00 PM following a second-hand report suggesting a student might have brought a gun onto campus.

#KeepingYouSafe On Wednesday, May 7, just before 3:00 p.m., deputies from @SDSOSantee responded to a second-hand report about a student possibly having a gun on-campus at West Hills High School located in the 8700 block of Mast Boulevard in @CityofSantee.

Out of an abundance of… pic.twitter.com/aqzNrYdb2h

— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) May 7, 2025

The school administration quickly initiated a lockdown, taking measures to secure all doors and restrict movement within the school as deputies conducted an extensive search. The report, which had the potential to escalate into a dire situation, proved false when no weapon was found on the premises, and the lockdown was subsequently lifted shortly before 4:00 PM, as stated in FOX 5 San Diego's report.

In the wake of the lockdown, West Hills High School Principal April Baker communicated with the school community through a series of letters, the first of which was sent out during the lockdown to reassure parents and students of the safety measures in place. A subsequent letter detailed the investigation's findings, highlighting a concerning social media post that had sparked the initial alarm; this post purportedly showed an individual holding what appeared to be a weapon on the school's campus.

Law enforcement officials located and identified the person in the photo, who was not on campus at the time of the lockdown, and determined the object in question was a grey temperature gun, not a lethal weapon, Baker explained, as per FOX 5 San Diego; this thorough investigation paved the way for the safe dismissal of students and staff later that day. Baker also took the opportunity to commend the student who reported the concerning post, stating, "I want to commend the student who came forward – because of their quick action, we were able to take the necessary steps to investigate the situation and ensure the safety of all."