Powell High School, Powell Middle School and Powell Elementary School all went into lockdown Friday morning as Knox County deputies investigated reports of possible gunfire nearby. The shots had not been confirmed as of Pratt's statement.
Security Officer's Report Triggers Response
According to WVLT, reports of gunshots were being investigated in the vicinity of the three Powell campuses. Knox County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Justin Pratt said KCSO was investigating reports of gunshots in the area, and deputies were actively searching the surrounding area to determine the source of the sounds. Pratt said the shots had not been confirmed as of his statement to the station.
Knox County Schools spokesperson Carly Harrington said the lockdowns were prompted by nearby law enforcement activity, according to the same report.
Part of a Broader Pattern of School Threats in Knox County
Friday's incident adds to a string of disruptions that have hit Knox County campuses this year. In September, a juvenile was arrested and charged with false report after claiming to have a bomb at Powell Middle School on a Friday morning, prompting administrators to evacuate the building as a precaution; per the same station's reporting, no explosive devices were found and students returned to class.
Just three days before Friday's lockdown, Murfreesboro police placed Blackman High, Middle and Elementary schools on a precautionary lockdown while investigating a threat, according to WGNS Radio. Investigators there later determined the call was a hoax, and the three campuses were formally reopened.
Threat Calls Have Declined, But Problems Persist
Despite the steady drumbeat of lockdowns and evacuations, data compiled by Knox News shows threat calls to Knox County Schools have actually been dropping. Police responded to 98 calls for threats at Knox County Schools in 2026 — 73 to the Knox County Sheriff's Office and 25 to the Knoxville Police Department — down from 166 and 63 respectively in 2023. The outlet reported a gradual decline each year in between, with 156 and 34 calls logged in 2024 and 112 and 51 in 2025.
The persistent threats have already changed how some Knox County schools operate day to day. After repeated threats at Hardin Valley Middle School, the campus began closing restrooms during class time, requiring students to sign in and out one at a time while an adult volunteer checks the restroom between visits, the Knox News report notes. The same reporting recounted a more serious consequence of a bomb threat at Carter Middle School, where more than a dozen students were hospitalized on Sept. 4 after overheating while waiting outside for police to search the building following a threat scrawled on a bathroom wall.
After a thorough search, Pratt said the lockdowns were lifted and schools resumed normal operations.
