Hollister High School alarm system triggers false active shooter alert, school to resume Friday

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION-TV)- Hollister Police said there is not an active shooter incident at Hollister High School after a technical glitch triggered a false warning Thursday.

Police said the glitch was triggered at 12:37 p.m., and the high school School Resource Officer on the scene requested more units. All available personnel responded which included administrative, training, code enforcement, investigative, and patrol staff.

The San Benito County Sheriff's Office deployed their patrol and administrative staff to the school to support the full response. The school was cleared and there was no crime, according to police.

"Parents are encouraged to allow the school to return to normal operations and not descend on the area. We will remain at the scene until the situation has settled," said police.

Hollister High School said that a programming error in the bell schedule is what triggered the lockdown message through the campus public address system.

“We had no idea what was going on besides the text that we got from our children. We didn’t receive any communication until after," said Hollister High School parent, Lindsey Luker. "I think maybe 30 minutes after the fact after we got our kids. They started posting on social media, rather than contacting parents directly."

Hollister High School administrators, staff and faculty immediately implemented the appropriate safety protocols, given the circumstances. In a situation like this, the priority for all staff members is to ensure the safety of students on campus. Once law enforcement ensured that the campus was secure, students were safe, and internal safety protocols were implemented, external communication about the situation was provided to the greater community.

We understand the effects that a situation like this can have on students, staff, parents, families and the greater community. Counseling and Wellness Center staff will be available on Friday to provide any support or assistance for students. Students in need of further support can contact their counselor or Student Services staff.

Hollister High School

The school will resume Friday and all school activities, including graduation trips, will continue as scheduled.