The photo above shows students exiting the school as police line the entrance to Hopewell High School amid the false alarm shooter situation.
Story and photos by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published March 29, 2023 1:10 P.M.
(Hopewell Township, PA) Students crying, parents and faculty distraught, and emergency responders in full action were the sights and sounds of a false alarm school shooting at Hopewell High School Wednesday morning. The call came in around 10:30am. Parents told Beaver County Radio at the scene, they were relieved when they found out the shooting was a hoax, citing it was sparked by an automated phone call. They commended the fast response time by police. Most were initially under the impression that an active shooter had killed or injured 6 students, it is unclear where the number 6 rumor originated. These reports were ultimately false and no shooting took place nor was anybody harmed.
Students were evacuated and moved to the Hopewell Junior High School to be dismissed along with the rest of the district as an investigation got underway. As students were reunited with their parents and gaurdians, they described actions of what happened during the lockdown, such as moving heavy items to block doorways, and noting the actions their teachers took to protect them. One story was that a group of students locked themselves in a bathroom, and wouldn’t come out until the police correctly said the predetermined password that was in place.
Officials were unable to make a statement on scene, but said they will as soon as the situation is wrapped up. State Police are investigating similar calls made to numerous other districts as well. Beaver County Radio’s Sandy Giordano reported the scene was officially cleared at 12:53pm, according to a statement from Hopewell Police Chief Don Sedlacek. Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio, we will keep you informed as more details become available.
Police cars line the entrance to Hopewell High:
Video from the scene shows students exiting the school: