CPD: Hoax prompts police response at Burke High School

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston Police Department (CPD) said a hoax phone call prompted a heavy police response at Burke High School on Wednesday morning.

Inspector Michael Gillooly with the Charleston Police Department said just before 10:00 a.m. that was a heavy police presence at Burke High after a call was received at another location within the city regarding the school. That call was reported to Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch.

He noted the department believed the call to be a hoax. “Numerous officers are on scene and the school is locked down pursuant to normal procedure,” he said.

The Charleston Police Department later provided an update just after 10:00 a.m. saying the call was confirmed to be a hoax. They said there were no injured parties and that officers were clearing the scene.

“The incident previously communicated about at Burke High School has been confirmed to be a hoax. No injured parties were located after an exhaustive sweep of the school by law enforcement,” said Gillooly.

The Charleston County School District confirmed to News 2 that both Burke High School and nearby Simmons-Pinckney Middle School were both placed on lockdown due to what they called a “report of an active threat on campus.”

A district spokesman said those lockdowns were lifted and that law enforcement was in the process of clearing classrooms.

“CPD officers responded immediately, arriving within minutes, and swept the school which had been placed on lockdown. Once again no suspects or injured parties were located. The school itself did not report this incident. Officers are now clearing the scene,” said Inspector Gillooly.

No other details were provided.