Medina High School briefly went into lockdown Friday afternoon after a threatening phone call to Medina police around 12:35 p.m. Officers rushed to the campus, searched the school and surrounding areas, and later determined there was no armed person on site, allowing classes and other activities to resume. Police said they will keep an increased presence in the area while detectives work to track where the call came from.
Police describe what they heard and found
In a Facebook post, the Medina Police Department said dispatch received a call at approximately 12:35 p.m. The caller claimed to be outside the high school and said they intended to "shoot up" the building. Officers immediately flooded the area, secured the buildings, and placed the high school and nearby schools on lockdown.
According to the post, officers carried out a "thorough and methodical" search of the high school grounds, including exterior areas, parking lots, and surrounding properties, and did not find any armed individuals.
Part of a wider pattern in Medina County
The threat fits into a recent string of hoax calls in Medina County that triggered searches and evacuations at other schools and businesses, as reported by News 5 Cleveland. Police told the station that they believe callers may be using spoofed or computer-generated phone numbers and that local, county, and federal agencies are coordinating on the investigation.
How investigators are approaching the case
The department said details of the Medina High call, including a mispronunciation of "Medina" and a blocked phone number, were consistent with reported swatting incidents in other places. Detectives are working to identify the source of the call.
Officers will maintain an increased presence around the school out of what the Medina Police Department described as an "abundance of caution" while the investigation continues.
Potential legal consequences
Hoax threats and swatting are serious crimes that can carry state and federal penalties, the FBI warns. Federal swatting cases in the past have led to prison sentences for those convicted.
According to the FBI, individuals who make hoax threats can be prosecuted under laws that prohibit conveying false information, among other statutes, and can face multi-year prison terms and federal charges.
School and police officials urged anyone with information about the Medina High call or related incidents to contact investigators. Local media outlets and department social media updates continued to share developments as detectives followed leads, including coverage by the Medina Gazette. Police said they would continue an increased presence near the campus while they work to trace the call's origin.
