The L.A. County Sheriff's Palmdale Station received notice of a potential threat made to a student through a Facebook account Tuesday morning. Parents of a student at Joshua Hills Elementary School contacted the sheriff's department late Monday night.
The sheriff's department requested the school district to take precautionary measures while the threat's legitimacy was investigated.
Sheriff's deputies were patrolling schools in the area, part of increased vigilance after last week's Connecticut school shooting.
Joshua Hills Elementary, Keppel Elementary and Ocotillo Elementary were all placed on modified lockdown.
Palmdale Sheriff's Captain Bobby Denham said the threat was made by an individual whose identity was concealed on Facebook. The Facebook page has since been taken down.
Denham said there was an ongoing dispute between students in the 6th grade, with challenges to meet and fight. Threats then became specific Monday night. The concealed identity heightened the legitimacy of the threat, according to Denham. The specific threat targeted an entire 6th-grade class at Joshua Hills Elementary.
Keppel Union School District said front gates were secured and classrooms were locked as a result of the area threat. The district said procedures were back to normal Tuesday afternoon, but staff was asked to maintain heightened awareness.
