Electronic Messages Lead to Lockdown at LDHS

December 8, 2021

Laurens County School District 55 would like to express appreciation to the parents, staff, and community for their patience, understanding, and support during events at Laurens District 55 High School (LDHS) on Friday, December 3, 2021. Due to reports of multiple students in the school receiving threatening electronic messages, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Department responded swiftly to a request for assistance from the School Resource Officer.

School and district officials worked with local law enforcement to effectively implement safety protocols and thoroughly investigate the matter. The school was placed on lockdown to ensure that no one entered or exited the campus during this time. “Working with Sheriff Reynolds and other law enforcement officials, we were able to secure the campus and provide effective supervision of the students in the building,” noted Dr. Ameca Thomas, Superintendent of Laurens County School District 55. “Our students, staff, and administrators adhered to safety protocols and were instrumental in maintaining order during the lockdown.”

Following a thorough investigation process, it was concluded that there was no active situation nor credible threat present at the school. No conclusive findings were revealed during the lockdown; however, there is an ongoing investigation into the matter, with efforts being focused on who is responsible for sending the threatening electronic messages.

“I am thankful that this was resolved with no incident nor injury. The safety of our students and staff is always a top priority in Laurens County School District 55,” said Superintendent Thomas. “On behalf of the school district, I want to express sincere appreciation to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Department for their quick response and ongoing collaboration with the school district. The district will always work in close partnership with law enforcement to ensure the safety of our students and staff.”

During the course of events on Friday, the school district utilized an automated notification system to send messages via telephone, email, and text to parents. “Any time this type of communication system is used, we are dependent upon having the correct contact information for parents. It is vitally important that parents provide their child’s school with correct contact information,” noted Thomas.