Shooting Threat At Menifee School Was A Hoax, Police Confirm

MENIFEE, CA — A social media comment about a school shooting Friday at Ethan A. Chase Middle School in Menifee was a hoax, authorities announced.

"At this time detectives have no reason to believe that the threat was credible; however, the investigation is still ongoing to identify the source," the Menifee Police Department said in a Friday afternoon news release.

At approximately 8 a.m., the department was notified about the concerning social media comment. To ensure safety, school officials initiated a lockdown that was lifted after police deemed the campus safe. School operations resumed throughout the afternoon.

The Menifee Police Department warned that threats are taken seriously and "will not be tolerated."

"We encourage parents to have conversations with their children about the severity of these types of threats and the importance of being responsible when using social media," the department said.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Menifee Police Department at 951-723-1500.