Atascadero High School will remain closed for the rest of today and will reopen Friday 

ATASCADERO — Atascadero High School was placed on lockdown this morning due to a concerning social media post made Wednesday night, May 25.

Around 9 p.m. Wednesday night, Atascadero Police Department (APD) was informed of a concerning social media posting made by a student from Atascadero High School (AHS). The student had posted a video on Snapchat, a social media platform, racking a shotgun.

Atascadero Unified School District Superintendent Tom Butler released a statement updating the community on this morning’s campus closure. 

On Thursday morning, May 26, Butler closed AHS campus after administration was made aware of the potential threat. Due to APD investigation being incomplete by the start of school, Butler closed the campus as a precaution for the safety of students and staff. 

According to APD, their investigation determined the subject lived in the rural county and outside the City of Atascadero. APD requested the Sheriff’s department to make contact with the juvenile and his parents. Sheriff’s Deputies made contact with the juvenile and a parent and confirmed the weapon was no longer accessible by the juvenile.

Working with both AUSD, AHS, and the Sheriff’s Department, APD has contacted and interviewed the involved parties in this incident. Their investigation revealed that the initial Snapchat posting was made to a specific individual and not directed toward the school. From that point, the post was shared amongst friends and spread from there.

This incident is isolated between two students. The investigation is ongoing, and any applicable charges will be submitted to the District Attorney for review. 

At this time, the situation has been fully resolved, and there is no threat to Atascadero High School. The campus will remain closed for the remainder of the day and will reopen on Friday, May 27.

In Butler’s statement, he says:

The School District is grateful to the individual who initially reported the information. In addition, the School District will be pursuing the strongest legal and educational consequences for the individuals who committed these threats. 

Thank you again to the individuals who reported the threat, the Atascadero Police Department for their excellent work, and our community for your understanding of the paramount importance of school safety. 

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Atascadero Police Department non-emergency line at (805) 461-5051.