Riverside High School in Durham went into lockdown Friday for the third time in less than a week, after an anonymous tip submitted through the district's Say Something reporting system warned of a threat on campus.
A Durham Public Schools spokesperson confirmed the lockdown stemmed from an anonymous Say Something tip about a threat, according to WRAL. Friday's lockdown marked the third time Riverside had been placed under lockdown during the week of October 5, with earlier lockdowns also occurring on Tuesday and Thursday of that week. The station reported that the reasons behind those first two lockdowns remain unclear.
The Durham County Sheriff's Office is the agency that typically leads emergency responses and physical searches at Riverside, which sits in northern Durham County, according to Hoodline's prior coverage of a similar lockdown spree at the school. Deputies have coordinated with Durham Police Department officers during past high-alert sweeps of the campus.
A Pattern That Keeps Repeating at Riverside
This is not the first time Riverside has endured a cluster of lockdowns inside a single week. In February 2025, the school was placed on lockdown three separate times in one week after successive anonymous tips alleged students were carrying firearms on campus, and all three were cleared following law enforcement searches, per the 9th Street Journal. Just seven months ago, in March 2026, Riverside again experienced multiple lockdowns within a single month tied to repeated false weapon reports, prompting Durham Public Schools officials to address growing concerns from students and parents.
Durham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis said at the time that district administrators work closely with law enforcement to trace anonymous false tips, while acknowledging the anxiety and emotional distress the frequent lockdowns cause for students and staff, the 9th Street Journal reported. District officials have maintained that every report must be treated as a real threat until cleared by law enforcement, regardless of how often tips turn out to be unfounded.
Part of a Wider Safety Scare Across Durham Schools
Riverside's recurring lockdowns fit into a broader pattern that has touched multiple Durham Public Schools campuses over the past year. Hillside, Jordan, and Southern High Schools each experienced weapon-related lockdowns or secure-status responses during the spring and fall 2026 terms, Hoodline has reported, including a student detained at Southern High in August. Jordan High alone was placed under secure status in March and again locked down during a weapon search in April.
Riverside, which opened in 1991, serves a diverse student body — minority students make up 74% of enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year, with Hispanic students representing the largest single demographic group, per Niche. Durham Public Schools uses Say Something as one of its anonymous tip systems.
As of Friday, the causes of the week's first two lockdowns had not been disclosed, leaving students, staff, and parents once again waiting for answers.
