A threatening phone call sent El Cajon police to Granite Hills High School today, briefly putting the campus on a secure‑campus status while officers swept the grounds. Classes continued behind locked exterior doors as administrators and law enforcement checked the campus. Officers reported finding “nothing unusual” and stayed on scene out of caution.
Police activity update
According to El Cajon Police on X, officers searched the campus, “found nothing unusual” and “will remain on scene today out of an abundance of caution.” The post, published Tuesday evening, said the school had been placed on a secure campus while officers investigated. The department did not provide additional details about the source of the threat in that update.
Police Activity Update: El Cajon PD responded to Granite Hills High School after a threatening phone call. The school was placed on a secure campus. Officers are searching the campus and have found nothing unusual. Officers will remain on scene today out of an abundance of… pic.twitter.com/fhU0hWkZZe
— El Cajon Police (@elcajonpolice) February 10, 2026
What a secure campus means
The Grossmont Union High School District's Student Safety Roadmap explains that a secure campus keeps exterior doors locked while instruction continues as staff and law enforcement check for threats, and that it differs from a full lockdown. Grossmont Union High School District notes secure campus protocols are used when police activity or a threat is present nearby. Similar guidance appears in Cajon Valley's safety guide, which advises families not to attempt immediate pickups during a secure campus alert.
Local context
Granite Hills has been placed on secure campus before, most recently after a social‑media post that led to a BB‑gun arrest, as reported by KGTV. The high school also has a history of serious incidents, including a 2001 shooting that wounded several people and influenced district safety planning, according to the Los Angeles Times. Those past events help explain why authorities treat threats to campuses seriously and keep officers on scene until an area is cleared.
For families
Parents with questions can call Granite Hills High School's main office at (619) 593‑5500, listed on the school's website, or reach El Cajon Police non‑emergency dispatch at 619‑579‑3311; call 911 for any immediate danger. Granite Hills High School and the El Cajon Police pages list contact information and resources for families.
The department's Tuesday evening update indicated the search had turned up nothing unusual and that officers remained on scene as a precaution. This is a developing story and will be updated when officials release more information.
