Colfax families got an abrupt shake-up Thursday afternoon when a heavy law enforcement presence converged on Colfax Elementary and Colfax High School after a report of a man possibly armed near the elementary campus. Officers quickly set perimeters around both schools as faculty moved students into secure locations and parents gathered at nearby pickup points. By midafternoon, deputies said both campuses had been cleared and that students and staff were safe.
According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office on X, deputies were alerted at about 1:30 p.m., and additional personnel rushed in to secure both the elementary and high school campuses. A school resource officer was already on site when the initial report came in. Deputies searched the surrounding area with drones and a CHP helicopter, but the sheriff’s account states no armed individual was located on either campus or in the immediate area. The agency said deputies would remain through dismissal to assist with safe student reunification.
How authorities searched the area
Precautionary lockdowns at Colfax campuses are not unheard of; the wooded terrain near the schools can make searches more complicated and can bring in help from multiple agencies. As reported by CBS Sacramento, deputies have previously used helicopters and ground canvases when unauthorized people were reported near Colfax schools. County officials generally ask families to stay away from school grounds during these incidents while law enforcement establishes a perimeter and coordinates reunification.
What families should expect
The sheriff’s post said deputies would remain on scene during dismissal to help ensure that students and staff left campus safely and to assist with traffic and pickup procedures. Investigators were canvassing nearby woodlands in connection with the original report and said they would provide updates if there were new developments. Anyone with information about the incident was asked to contact the Placer County Sheriff’s Office through its usual channels.
