MONUMENT, Colo. (KOAA) — Students in Lewis-Palmer School District 38 will return to class Wednesday. The entire district was closed Tuesday because of a potential threat.
Lewis-Palmer School District 38 says there is no credible threat moving forward, and it is now safe for the schools to reopen. There will be extra police presence at the school the rest of the week, which the district says is to reassure the community. You can read the message the district sent to our newsroom below.
We sent our message around 4:30 today. D38 spent a lot of hours collaborating with law enforcement. We want to ensure we always make the best decisions for our students and staff. Their team thoroughly investigated and assured us there is no longer an elevated risk or credible threat beyond Dec 16. We were diligent with many conversations with them.
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The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says they are investigating a potential threat to Lewis-Palmer School District 38, and all schools will be closed Tuesday.
The sheriff's office says the information they received did not specify which school could potentially be targeted.
Detectives are working to determine the credibility of the reported threat. The following agencies are a part of the investigation:
- Lewis-Palmer School District 38 School Security Team
- School Resource Officers
- El Paso County Sheriff's Office
- Monument Police Department
- Colorado Springs Police Department
The sheriff's office says they treat every threat as credible until proven otherwise.
El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal released the following statement regarding this incident:
“School safety is a priority for my Office, and my deputies treat every threat as credible until proven otherwise. From our dedicated School Resource Officers to our detectives and regional law-enforcement partners, protecting students, educators, and staff remains at the forefront of our mission.”
The safety of our children, teachers, and staff must never be taken for granted. School safety is an all-hands-on-deck responsibility requiring coordination, awareness, and accountability from everyone involved. When individuals choose to make threats—whether real or false—they undermine trust, create fear, and disrupt our community.”
Our School Resource Officers, Investigations Division, and regional partners, acted swiftly and professionally to investigate this information and identify its source. Their diligence and commitment to student safety reflect the high standards expected of those entrusted with protecting our schools.”
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office encourages community members to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement, school administrators, or through the Safe2Tell website.
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