LINDALE, Texas — Officials say all Lindale ISD campuses are safe after law enforcement investigated a call to Lindale police claiming someone had a rifle and bomb at EJ Moss Intermediate School Monday morning.
Lindale ISD said after police performed a complete sweep of the buildings, all campuses have been given the all-clear after investigating a called-in threat.
Lindale ISD Police Chief Joey King said around 8:15 a.m., an unidentified caller contacted the Lindale Police Department saying they were armed with a bomb and rifle at EJ Moss Intermediate School.
Two minutes later, officers were on scene and an officer stationed at the campus was already there. Following a multi-agency search, the campus was determined to be safe around 9:45 a.m., King said.
EJ Moss, which enrolls about 1,000 students, is currently on a "lockout," meaning students and staff conduct business as usual inside but no one will get to come in from outside of the building or leave, King said.
The investigation into the threat currently remains active, he added.
Lindale Police Chief Dan Somes said the school went into immediate lockdown and he is very pleased with the law enforcement response. Somes added the police officers are following up on the leads to find out who made the call.
Agencies responded immediately, and people should expect law enforcement to be present this week as a precaution, Lindale ISD said.
Deputy Superintendent Jamie Holder noted that the call came from outside of the district, which made this situation unique. He thanked the students, staff and law enforcement for each of their responses to the threat. King said the students were prepared for this event and responded well to the situation.
In a statement, Lindale ISD said extra counseling and resources will be available to students who may need help.
The following agencies responded to the threat: Smith County Sheriff's Office, Smith County Pcts. 4 and 5 Constable's Offices, Tyler Police Department, Lindale ISD Police, Lindale Police, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, Smith County Fire Marshal's Office, Lindale Fire Department, East Texas Anti-Gang Center and the FBI.