The high school campus was placed under a “precautionary lockdown” for just over 40 minutes on Thursday morning after what school officials believe may have been a “swatting” hoax.
Head of School Anthony Meyer instituted the lockdown after the main office and Brookline Police dispatch received threatening phone calls around 11 a.m., according to an email Meyer sent to community members. Minutes after World Language midyears ended, Meyer ordered a lockdown and told students to remain in their exam rooms over the Public Address (PA) system.
Classrooms followed lockdown procedure with rooms darkened, window shades drawn and students barricading doors with desks and other heavy objects. In the glass-windowed rooms of the STEM wing, teachers shepherded students into closets out of view. Many students expressed feelings of anxiety at a possible active shooter situation, while some continued working on their tests even after the 90-minute exam period had terminated.
Junior Rain Carlile was in Room 392 when Meyer’s lockdown order went out.
“When we first finished our exam, we were all grabbing our bags, and one student even rushed out the door just seconds before the announcement,” Carlile said. “The [proctor] first grabbed the students in the hallway and rushed them back into the room. My classmates and I had begun to push our desks up against both doors, and then, by the teacher’s instructions, closed the blinds, shut off the lights, blocked our door window and all sat down in the opposite corner from the door.”
Sophomore Doelle Bhattacharya had just turned in her Spanish midyear when she heard the announcement.
“I was pretty surprised that it wasn’t a drill, and there was naturally some fear and uncertainty that came with that, but for the most part, my class stayed calm, and we followed the lockdown procedure. I think it definitely helped that we had done a practice drill earlier in the year,” Bhattacharya said.
Carlile said he relaxed once he realized he was not under immediate threat.
“Once we all sat down, I began to try to listen for any gunshots or explosions, because at this point, I had thought that the ‘external threat’ was a school shooter,” Carlile said. “But after a while, the adrenaline wore off and I began to text my friend and watch [Instagram] Reels.”
Meyer announced over the PA system and wrote in an afternoon email that students had taken the event seriously and followed protocol well.
“Thank you for your cooperation and seriousness during today’s lockdown,” Meyer wrote. “While such experiences can spur stress and anxiety, the drills in which we have engaged and the conversations we have had around school safety are super important. The community’s good work today is a result of these efforts.”
As a result of the disruption, exams scheduled for Thursday afternoon’s make-up block will take place on Friday, Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m., according to Meyer’s email. The school day starts at 8:15 and follows the updated weekly schedule for any students not taking an exam.
Meyer did not provide details on who may have made the phone calls, but said that investigations are underway.
“The Brookline Police Department continues to investigate the hoax and will keep us updated on their findings,” Meyer said. “We remain grateful for their support and partnership.”
