Earlier today, law enforcement from across Santa Cruz County responded to a report of an active shooter at Santa Cruz High School that fortunately turned out to be a hoax. There was no shooter and no one was physically injured.
The Santa Cruz City Schools superintendent sent an email shortly after 10 a.m. that let families in the district know what was happening and that there were no incidents of violence at any of their campuses today. In an abundance of caution, district officials ordered all school sites locked down after the initial report of a possible shooter.
Campus police officers continued to support our campus, while some were dispatched to the high school in case they were needed. Even before the incident was determined to be a hoax, there was no threat to our residential campus, Coastal Science Campus, or Westside Research Park. If there had been a threat, our campus community would be notified via CruzAlert.
Given the long history of school shootings in the United States, many in our campus community understandably felt scared, anxious, and alarmed as they waited to learn more. We want to support the well-being of our campus community. If you are impacted by today’s events and need support, please reach out to campus services.
Employees should speak with their manager or supervisor about any support you might need. Our Employee Assistance Program also offers support resources including counseling.
Counseling and Psychological Services provides a range of mental-health and wellness services for students. The professional staff in our colleges and our resource centers can also provide support.
