Threats shut down Laguna High School

Police surround school Monday after callers report impending attack. The incident turned out to be hoax.Laguna Beach High School went into lockdown mode Monday morning -- Halloween -- around 8:30 a.m. after it was reported that individuals with guns and a bomb were set to attack the school.

The alarm turned out to be a prank.

The call was made to the Laguna Beach Unified School District by an adult male who claimed to have received the information from an Internet chat room, said Theresa Daem, district superintendent. While police were arriving on the scene, a 911 call from an individual who identified herself as Melissa said five individuals with guns were running into a classroom near the track and basketball court. That call was also hoax.

The school went into lockdown mode for around an hour, which involves teachers locking the doors to their rooms and keeping their students inside.

“Our kids’ safety is our number one concern,” said Daem.

Police dispatched every available unit, surrounded the school and sent a team inside the facility, said Darin Lenyi, police department spokesman.

Officers were equipped with shotguns and assault riffles, and a SWAT team from Orange County went on standby.

“It is illegal to make false reports,” said Lenyi, who said the police are investigating leads to find those responsible for the incident.

The city will seek punitive damages, which includes taking into account city resources used to respond to the hoax.

Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to call Juvenile Det. Zach Martinez at 497-0369.