Lockdown at Midvale's Hillcrest High, but cops don't find alleged gunman

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
Sheriff Jim Winder takes a phone call in the parking lot at Hillcrest High School, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. There were early reports of an active shooter in the school, but it later became apparent the reports were a hoax.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
Sheriff Jim Winder speaks with a West Jordan Police officer who had responded to Hillcrest High School, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. There were early reports of an active shooter at the school, but later it became apparent the reports were a hoax.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
There were no students visible at Hillcrest High School as they were apparently in lockdown as Police checked out early reports of an active shooter, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. Later it became apparent the reports were a hoax.

Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune
Sheriff Jim Winder takes a phone call in the parking lot at Hillcrest High School, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. There were early reports of an active shooter in the school, but it later became apparent the reports were a hoax.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune
Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

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Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune Sheriff Jim Winder takes a phone call in the parking lot at Hillcrest High School, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. There were early reports of an active shooter in the school, but it later became apparent the reports were a hoax. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune Sheriff Jim Winder speaks with a West Jordan Police officer who had responded to Hillcrest High School, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. There were early reports of an active shooter at the school, but later it became apparent the reports were a hoax. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune There were no students visible at Hillcrest High School as they were apparently in lockdown as Police checked out early reports of an active shooter, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. Later it became apparent the reports were a hoax. Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune Sheriff Jim Winder takes a phone call in the parking lot at Hillcrest High School, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. There were early reports of an active shooter in the school, but it later became apparent the reports were a hoax. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate. Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Unified Police Officers and students walk around the parking lot after a lockdown was lifted at Hillcrest High School in Midvale Wednesday February 1, 2017. UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

By Bob Mims The Salt Lake Tribune

· February 1, 2017 1:33 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Unified Police officers rushed to Hillcrest High School in Midvale late Wednesday morning on a report of a gunman on campus, but within a hour they had cleared the high school and lifted a lockdown.

UPD Detective Ken Hansen said that the school was put on lockdown about 10:10 a.m., as officers cordoned off the campus at 7350 S. 900 East. A subsequent sweep of the high school and its classrooms turned up no evidence that the report was legitimate.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder said the calls — the first reporting a gunman barricaded inside the school, then a second claiming gunshots had been fired — were a horrible hoax.

"We had a strong indication it was false," said the sheriff, adding that it was decided to respond with "an abundance of caution" in ordering the lockdown.

Winder said he is determined that the hoaxer will be found and held to account.

The caller claimed to be conveying "second-hand" information, and claimed that gunshots may have been fired in "Hall 400." There is no Hall 400 at the school, police soon determined.

At UPD's request, Canyons School District officials also issued precautionary "shelter in place" orders to nearby Midvale Middle School and Midvale, East Midvale, Midvalley, Jordan Valley and Crescent elementaries. All lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders were lifted by 11:20 a.m., the school disctrict said.

Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper also was locked down, by order of Draper police, while the Hillcrest High School episode was being investigated.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims