This story has been updated. 

Decatur, GA — A day after a nearby shooting forced Decatur High into lockdown, police responded to an unauthorized person entering College Heights Early Childhood Learning center and an active shooter hoax at Decatur High.

There’s no indication the incidents are related.

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center went into a lockdown on Wednesday, March 1, for about 40 minutes after an unauthorized person entered the school building.

College Heights Principal Sarah Garland sent the following email to parents:

Good afternoon parents and guardians,

This afternoon around 12:00 pm, our school went into a hard lockdown securing all personnel and students in classrooms due to an unauthorized individual entering the school building. The subject was confronted immediately by CSD staff and escorted out of the building but remained on school property near the street. CSD staff stayed with the suspect pending the arrival of law enforcement. The Decatur Police arrived quickly on our campus to apprehend the individual.
We returned to normal operation around 12:40 pm. All staff and students are safe.

We want to take this opportunity to remind all staff and parents entering and leaving our building to ensure the doors close fully to prevent unauthorized entry to our building.

Thank you to our staff, students, and the Decatur Police for handling the situation quickly and smoothly.

— Sarah

Decatur Police Sgt. John Bender later confirmed that police carrying long guns responded to Decatur High after getting a call about a student firing a gun inside the classroom. The call turned out to be a hoax.

“On Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at approximately 11:45 am, the Decatur Police Department received an emergency call from an unknown caller stating there was a gunshot fired inside of a classroom at Decatur High School,” Bender said. “Officers immediately responded to the school and treated the scene as a possible active shooter incident. It quickly became clear to the responding officers and school administration this was a hoax call and no threats were present. This case is actively being investigated by the Decatur Police Criminal Investigations Division. If you have any information in this case, please contact the Decatur Police Department at 404-373-6551.”

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