Bomb threat at Santa Ana High School cleared, students released to parents

An hours-long lockdown at Santa Ana High School ended around 4:20 p.m. Thursday after authorities cleared the campus following a bomb threat, officials confirmed.

The incident began at 12:26 p.m. when someone called authorities to make the threat, said Sgt. Maria Lopez, a Santa Ana Police Department spokeswoman.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad was called to the campus, which was cleared roughly four hours later, Lopez said.

Authorities initially believed a student made the threat but now are unsure whether a student or someone else made the call, she said.

“That person is unknown to us,” Lopez said.

According to the Santa Ana Unified School District, the high school was placed on lockdown “out of an abundance of caution,” and students at neighboring Heninger Elementary School were told to go to a lock out while authorities investigated.

“Santa Ana Police Department has cleared the Santa Ana High School campus and the lockdown has been lifted,” according to a 4:35 p.m. update by the district. “All students at Santa Ana High and those remaining at Heninger Elementary are now being released. Parents can now pick up their children. Thank you for your patience.”

A person who appeared to be conscious was wheeled away from the high school campus on a gurney and put into an ambulance, according to KABC-TV Channel 7.

Police determined the person wasn’t related to the bomb threat, said Lopez, who added no injuries were tied to the incident.

Capt. Thanh Nguyen, an Orange County Fire Authority spokesman, said the person was transported for an unrelated medical incident that occurred during the bomb threat investigation.

Further information was not available.