The following email was sent by CHS Principal Elizabeth Aaron to the high school community just before 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Thank you for your students’ quick response to our lockdown this morning, which lasted from approximately 10:40 to noon. At noon, Principal Aaron released all students from their classes, thanking them, their teachers and school staff for their full cooperation during the lockdown. Maplewood Police and school administrators confirmed that at no time was there a weapons danger. The matter that resulted in the lockdown was technical. As is the case with any emergent situation, school leaders took all steps to secure students, staff, and our building with the police department while the matter was investigated. The matter was not connected to any students at CHS.
We would ask that you speak with your student to see if he or she has any questions, and of course encourage them to follow up with any school counselor or administrator should they want to.
….
We thank you for your support of CHS,
Elizabeth Aaron
Capt. Michael Marucci of the Maplewood Police Department sent further information in an email to media outlets at 4:37 p.m. Wednesday:
On Wednesday, February 04, 2015 at 1035 hours the Maplewood Police Department received an automated Code Red Lock Down message reporting a Code Red Lock Down activation from inside Columbia High School 17 Parker Ave Maplewood. Officers were dispatched to the school at 1037 hours and arrived on scene at 1040 hours. Upon officers arrival to the school they were advised by school staff that they had no knowledge as to why the alarm was activated. Officers conducted a search for an active threat, no active threat was located. The school administration is investigating the origin of the Code Red Activation, the Maplewood Police Department determined that there was no incident or threatening situation that would have caused the Code Red activation. At this time it appears that a malfunction occurred in the system.
