SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Rancho Bernardo High School, at 13010 Paseo Lucido, was placed on lockdown Thursday due to the discovery of a "concerning note'' inside a restroom, according to school officials.
The note stated: "At 1:10 a white boy is going to shoot up the school."
San Diego police officers were called in just after noon to check out the campus and make sure there were no hazards present.
Students at adjacent Bernardo Heights Middle School were also kept secured in their classrooms as a precaution, authorities said.
Administrators kept all students and staffers secured in their classrooms and offices while officers searched the high school, finding no weapons or other hazards. The lockdown was lifted about 2 p.m., Poway Unified School District spokeswoman Christine Paik said.
According to a Captain Stephanie Rose, who held a press conference outside the school, several students were questioned in connection with the threat.
Rose stated that three male 18-year-olds had posted an image on Snapchat on Wednesday showing what appeared to be a firearm- and turned out to be an airsoft pistol - accompanied by threatening messages. These images began circulating among students. It is unknown if they any of them were responsible for the note in the bathroom.
They were students of the school - two of whom were located off campus, questioned and were being released to their parents.
Authorities were still attempting to make contact with the third 18-year-old student.
A 16-year-old juvenile male was also questioned after sending a message to a 15-year-old female juvenile indicating that he hoped she would be shot Thursday. He was also released into his parents' custody.
That juvenile male is facing charges of making a terrorist threat and molesting a minor.
Rose asked that anyone with information on Thursday's threat to please call the Northeastern Division.
She also asked that parents instruct children to notify parents and police if images - like the threatening messages on Snapchat - begin circulating.
It was not immediately clear if the youths will face criminal charges in the case.
Below is a statement from David LeMaster, who is the principal at Rancho Bernardo High School:
Dear Bronco Families,
Our school is going into lockdown. There was a note found in one of our bathrooms with a concerning message. We have called San Diego Police Department and officers are on their way. We are going to stay in lock down until we have more information and direction from SDPD. We will be keeping students in their rooms until the campus is determined to be safe. We will notify you with any updates.
David LeMaster
Principal Rancho Bernardo High School