SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — School activities were suspended for hundreds of students who were forced to shelter in place Friday morning at Thurston High School when a lockdown was called due to a school threat.

No one was allowed in or out of the school, and out of an abundance of caution, Thurston Elementary, Thurston Middle school and Ridgeview Elementary were all placed on lockdown.

“Once this threat came in, Springfield Police, because of the nature of the threat, they immediately had a large police presence here at Thurston High School,” said Brian Richardson, Director of Communications, Springfield Public Schools. “We continue to see threats. They happen to our students, our buildings, our staff, and for us, the best thing we can do is just make sure we take every one of them seriously.”

With the content of the threat unclear, custodians anxiously waited across the street from campus for updates.

Linda Struthers said it evoked the same fear she felt during the tragic 1998 school shooting, the echo of which has never left her mind here.

“With Kip Kinkel, when the shooting happened back then, my kids were at school. Right now it’s reliving the whole thing with my grandson being at school. I’ve been sitting in the parking lot biting my nails,” Struthers said.

Officers from the Springfield Police Department assisted with a controlled release of students just before 1 p.m. 1pm for what is usually an early release day for students.

But no student ever got the chance to come to class.

“I had two free periods in the morning, and I was about to go to my class, and I heard there was a lockdown, and I was like, ‘What?'” said Antoni Gaspar, THS senior.

“I had a free period this morning; I showed up and all the gates were locked, and they told me I couldn’t come in,” said THS senior Talon P.

At the same time, both students and parents appreciate the care and competence they experience from the district and SPD.

“It was nerve wracking, but it’s also nice to know that there’s plenty of staff and resources to know that there’s a better chance of being okay in it, but it’s definitely scary,” said Ariel Murphy, THS student.

“I appreciate the police here and all that; it’s good, but there’s got to be a better way,” said David Garrett, parent. “I’m going to take the social media away from the kids because people believe everything they hear on social media.”

Richardson urges the public to continue to report threats.

To do so, visit springfield.k12.or.us.

To learn what to do in the event of an emergency at school, SPS has information on its website, you can find it here.