Steel Valley Schools Locked Down By District In Response To ‘Credible Threat Of Violence In The Community’
The Steel Valley School District, just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has locked down all schools in response to what its called a “credible threat of violence.” Schools will only release students to a parent, guardian or other adult listed on his or her emergency card until the situation is resolved.
The situation first came to light as an update on the Steel Valley High School’s Facebook page, as seen below. The notification was posted at 2:17 p.m. on Friday, April 27. The same message appears on the home page of the Steel Valley School District website. The district’s official site also noted that all evening activities were being canceled.
https://www.facebook.com/steelvalleyhighschool/posts/1515953988516475
Aaron Martin of WPXI, Pittsburgh’s Channel 11, offered a video update on Twitter while en route to cover the developing situation. In an update to the WPXI story, Martin posted video of a woman who was said to have waited 45 minutes to pick up her grandson.
“Well, I’m a praying person, and I just talk to the Lord about it, that’s what I do” the woman in the video said.
The context of her remarks is not known.
WPXI’s Michele Newell noted multiple local police departments were on the scene. Martin also tweeted about speaking to a mother of three. The woman described receiving an automated phone call from the district mentioning a “tight lockdown” and said she feared a school shooting.
#BREAKING: All Steel Valley schools are on lockdown due to a “credible threat of violence”. Photographer @DaveClark11wpxi and I heading to the scenehttps://t.co/XoimWOEavO pic.twitter.com/IYej13xG4B
— Aaron Martin (@ItsAaronMartin) April 27, 2018
The district is comprised of four schools: two elementary schools — Barrett Elementary and Park Elementary — in addition to Steel Valley Middle School and Steel Valley Senior High School. It serves the boroughs of Homestead, Munhall, and West Homestead.
Details surrounding the district’s decision to lock down all four school were not immediately known.
This is a developing story. Check back for more information as it becomes available.
