Safety concerns involving Gresham High School

Over the past two weeks, the Gresham Police Department has worked with the Gresham-Barlow School District to investigate, and respond to, several safety concerns at Gresham High School.

On Sept. 20, officers arrested a student at Gresham High School who was armed with a firearm. In the days following that arrest, members of the community reported multiple potential threats of violence related to Gresham High School. The Police Department worked with the Gresham-Barlow School District and Gresham High School staff to investigate those threats and provide a safety response to the school. Following that investigation, none of those threats were found to be credible.

In the weeks since the arrest, rumors have continued to circulate online regarding weapons, planned violence, and other threats at Gresham High School. This cycle of recirculated online threats and rumors is a phenomenon which has become increasingly common in the social media age. Schools where a violent or threatening event takes place are commonly inundated with numerous additional or copycat threats. Rumors and discussion of those threats circulate through the school community. In many cases the same rumor will go through the community more than once as details are slightly changed, embellished, or lost with each sharing or retelling.

On Oct. 9, Gresham High School was placed on secure status for approximately two and a half hours in response to another unsubstantiated report. Officers were already present at the high school as part of the work with the Gresham-Barlow School District to provide an environment where students, parents, and teachers, feel safe at Gresham High School. We will continue collaborating with the school district and the community to develop and refine the safety plan for Gresham High School and our other local schools. The community may continue to see additional police presence around Gresham High School.

We encourage the community to report, but not repost, online threats. Threats involving immediate danger should be reported to 911. Other safety concerns should be reported through the non-emergency number, 503-823-3333, and directly to the School District at 503-261-4550.

Students, staff, and family members with safety concerns are encouraged to get information directly from the Gresham-Barlow School District. The Police Department will also communicate with the community about threats that are found to be credible or when an active incident which threatens the safety of the community is taking place.