ALERT: Threat Reported At West Ottawa Schools, Lockdown In Place

UPDATE: Students at West Ottawa North and South High School were safely dismissed at noon with the remaining schools to follow.

Here's what we know about the reported threat at West Ottawa schools:

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Several sources are reporting schools are under a shelter in place after receiving threats Friday morning.

According to WWMT an unknown caller contacted West Ottawa High School around 9:30 this morning threatening violence. Channel 3 reports the sheriff's office claims similar calls have been made to other school districts as well, though we don't know the specifics as of this writing.

One anonymous source told WKFR,

Someone called in a threat to West Ottawa schools saying they have explosives and an AR-15 and are targeting one of the schools...other schools in the Ottawa County area like Jenison are prepared to shelter in place

As of 11:00 a.m. Friday there has been no update or word on when lockdown is expected to be lifted.

Students were only expected to have a half day today. These threats also fall on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the tragic Columbine High School shooting in Colorado on April 20, 1999.

Authorities in Ottawa County, school administrators, as well as school resource officers take these threats very seriously, especially given the shocking events at Oxford High School in November 2021. In fact, the parents of the shooter were just sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison in March 2024.

We will update with more information as it becomes available.