False Shooting Report Prompts Lockdowns at Hayward Schools

A hoax emergency call reporting an active shooter at Bret Harte Middle School triggered a major law enforcement response and precautionary lockdowns on Wednesday afternoon.

Hayward police officers arrived at the campus shortly after noon and conducted a methodical search of classrooms and exterior grounds. Investigators quickly determined there was no evidence of gunfire and that no students or staff had suffered injuries.

Officers traced the origin of the false phone report to the neighborhood near Treeview Elementary School, prompting safety checks at that campus as well. After confirming that neither school faced any danger, police lifted the lockdowns and initiated an investigation into the person responsible for the call.