Brea Olinda High School canceled all classes and on-campus activities following a shooting threat that remains under investigation by the Brea Police Department and Brea Olinda Unified School District (BOUSD) on Nov. 13

The threat, — an Instagram Story of an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a handgun, with text reading, “look out for tomorrow, @bohs” — was reported to BOHS and BOUSD around 6 p.m. on Nov. 12. 

The post had circulated amongst BOHS student group chats and reposted on social media platforms Instagram and Snapchat.  

The original post was “quickly” deleted, complicating local authority’s efforts to trace its origins and determine if the threat is credible or non-credible, according to the Brea Police Department and BOUSD.

According to Brinda Leon, BOUSD superintendent, BOUSD shared the image with the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center, which collaborates with law enforcement and private and public sectors to gather information and assess threats to public safety.

Unlike a previous threat on Sept. 15 that was deemed non-credible and did not affect school schedules, this situation, where authorities have not yet definitively ascertained  the credibility of the threat, prompted the first school shut down since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“This decision [to close BOHS] was made in collaboration with the Brea PD out of an abundance of caution,”Joey Davis, BOHS principal, said in an email sent to all staff at 8:49 p.m. on Nov. 12. Teachers were advised to stay home and continue instructional activities online, either via Google Classroom posts or on Zoom. 

Previous threats of violence against the school — including a bomb threat in December 2007, and shooting threats in April 2017 and February 2023 — were investigated, but deemed not credible. 

At 9:09 p.m., BOUSD sent a press release to the community that read, “Ensuring the safety and well-being of students, staff, and the community is the school’s highest priority.” 

In a Parent Square notice to BOHS families, Davis informed parents that all bus routes to BOHS would be shut down due to the campus-wide closure. He also noted that students facing food insecurity could contact the District Office for assistance.

All on-campus classes and school activities scheduled for Nov. 13 were canceled, including dress rehearsal for this week’s dance concert, practices for CIF-playoff teams cross country and boys’ water polo, and auditions for Brea’s Got Talent. 

All BOHS staff were invited to join a Zoom meeting from their homes for an update by Davis, Leon, and School Resource Officer Steven Wulff at 8 a.m. on Nov. 13

As of 11:40 a.m., the investigation is ongoing. 

This story was originally published on The Wildcat on November 13, 2024.