Mass shootings database: Mass killing database: Revealing trends, details and anguish of every US event since 2006, Im angry that there isnt more being done to mitigate incidents like these, Morse, the Hopewell senior, said. Both of the teens are also facing disciplinary action from the Hopewell Area School District. Authorities believe the child was the victim of an apparent drive-by shooting. Our response was incredible, Pfeiffer said, adding there was a disaster drill a few months ago that helped train first responders. Officers stand guard outside Phillipsburg High School for an active-shooter simulation in 2019. All I could think about the entire time was if my sister was safe. WebHopewell Valley Regional School District 425 S Main St. Pennington, NJ 08534 Phone: 609.737.4000 Fax: 609.737.1418 Schools Hopewell Valley Regional School District HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell City Public Schools is making changes to its lockdown and evacuation strategies in the event Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not knowing was difficult, and waiting to hear from the school was frustrating, but the logical side of me kept saying the authorities needed time to sweep the building, and the longer it took the more likely it was a hoax. Part 3: We Pay Police & EMS Why Not Firefighters? Around two weeks later, school officials reported a similar situation at Hopewell High School. HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell City Public Schools is making changes to its lockdown and evacuation strategies in the event of an active shooter. Hopewell placed all staff and students on lockdown just before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday as law enforcement responded to reports of an active shooter at the scene. There were no injuries, and the school says there are no threats at this time. After last week's false reports of a school shooter at the Hopewell Area School District, community members and local officials are continuing The trooper spoke of the initial worry and concern, the relief that no one was killed or hurt, and then frustration at dealing with a hoax. More: Police sent to Erie High on bogus school shooting report as hoaxes hit other Pa. schools, "People are having such different responses to the whole situation," said Giovanni Krebs, a senior at Hopewell High School. A Video Introduction: Sounding The Alarm, Who Will Save Us? Theyre tired of the violence and theyre ready to get involved, Chief Starke said. All rights reserved (About Us). The school district was contacted and the high school was put on a working lockdown. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Police say the teen was shot around 9 p.m. in the 2400 block of Oaklawn Boulevard. HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Melody Hackney is addressing families on three school-related incidents that happened over the last few weeks. Davis said a student made a post on social media, saying they intended to do harm at the middle school. The charges result from an investigation by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Hopewell Township Police Department. "No explanation," Chief Tranelli said. Want NBC12s top stories in your inbox each morning? Who Will Save Us? Students said they were "terrified," but some still asked their family members to avoid the area to stay safe. Police say they have assigned officers to patrol the school buildings in the district as a precaution. The emotional upset is incredible for everyone.. According to police, one of the teens is facing a terroristic threat charge in connection with a posting to Facebook. Similar calls were made concerning William Allen High School in Allentown and high schools in the Catasauqua Area, Nazareth Area and Lehighton school districts. Starke said Wednesday morning that leads are continuing to come in from citizens for that investigation. As a precaution, there was extra police at the high school Wednesday. We were well prepared for (the call).. At Baker's house, the bedrooms of her and her two daughters are on the side facing the park. Please enter valid email address to continue. Why they did it, they don't really have an explanation.". Neighbors who spoke off camera say they heard four gunshots ring out last night and sprung out of bed to find the 17-year-old victim lying on the ground. While he commended police for quick responses, he said hoaxes like these draw officers from other duties. HOPEWELL Two teenage males have been arrested for last weeks fatal shooting of 20-year-old Philip Urban, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri and Hopewell Police Chief James Rosso reported. It was easily one of the worst situations Ive ever been in and I wouldnt wish this on absolutely anybody.. Police say Clifford Lamont Hill Jr. of Richmond and Xazavion JaQuel King of Petersburg confessed to the crime. As long as theyre proactive and they just dont push this aside, Clark said. A 16-year-old male from Pennington, NJ, and a 17-year-old male from Hopewell, NJ, were taken into custody this afternoon at the Mercer County Prosecutors Office. Thats an ongoing and very busy job just to make sure that everyone always knows what they need to know and that were always doing everything that we can do.. WebHopewell Area School District put under lockdown after false report of school shooting March 29, 2023 at 2:16 PM Hopewell placed all staff and students on lockdown just WebHOPEWELL, Va. -- An investigation is underway after a man was killed in a shooting in a Hopewell neighborhood Saturday evening. Swatting is a term used to describe the practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to have a large number of police officers or law enforcement tactical units dispatched to a particular address. RELATED LINKS:More Hopewell Township NewsMore Beaver County News, First published on December 20, 2012 / 11:01 PM. Police responded to Hopewell Senior High Nearby school districts, including Rochester, Aliquippa, Blackhawk, Ambridge and Riverside went on lockdown as police investigated the scene at Hopewell. Later Wednesday morning, the Tribune-Review in Pittsburgh reported schools around western Pennsylvania were also dealing with fake shooting calls. WebHUNTERSVILLE, N.C. Five students were taken into custody after two guns were found at Hopewell High School in Huntersville, the Huntersville Police Department confirmed. According to Hopewell Police, in 2022 the city saw nine murders compared to three in 2021. In her letter, Dr. Hackney described the struggles students face with isolation and the unique consequences of the pandemic. In light of what happened in Uvalde, Texas - Hopewell Schools says it will no longer have all students go into lockdown if there was an active shooter incident. All rights reserved. He said police responded immediately and cleared all school buildings. Often, those who facilitate swatting hoaxes use technology to make it appear as if the call is coming from a victims phone. It is alleged that they both participated in the preparation, murder, and coverup. It's not easy thinking about having to go to your friends funerals at 18.. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. 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WebUpdated: Oct 17, 2021 / 11:37 AM EDT. Within 15 minutes, it was pretty clear there were no reports of an actual event or casualties, Lozier said. In Lehigh County, Allentown police said it received a swatting call at 7:46 a.m. Wednesday for a shooting with multiple victims at William Allen High School, 106 N. 17th St. Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said both Catasauqua and Allen high schools were cleared quickly by responding officers. Kierra Baker, who lives across the street from the park, told The Progress-Index she heard some noises around 2 a.m. "and my dog was going off. Senior high students had initially evacuated to Hopewell Junior High, but were later moved to Margaret Ross Elementary as the junior high was cleared. All rights reserved. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI. There are no additional reports of existing threats to students or staff.. HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) Hopewell police are seeking the person responsible for a shooting in Hopewell that left one man with life We care about the people and the students here in Hopewell, and were trying to make sure that everybodys safe and well informed, Davis said. A Video Introduction: Sounding The Alarm, Who Will Save Us? Police Chief A.J. Two men are now in custody charged in the murder of a 17-year-old in Hopewell. Hopewell Area Superintendent Jeff Beltz said Aliquippa police received a call from someone claiming to be locked down in a bathroom at the high school Wednesday morning. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The teens are charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, and weapons offenses. There are pieces about looking at mental health and just making sure that were reaching people on a relational level, so that we can really be proactive rather than reactive.. Hopewell City Council has a meeting called for Thursday night to further discuss its participation in the program. Once she realized those were gunshots, she said she dropped to the floor and hollered for her daughters to do the same. Officers were called to the 1000 block of Now, just 10 days into 2023, another young person is lost to senseless violence in Hopewell. WebPennsylvania State Police Trooper Nate Branosky confirmed a caller at 7:57 a.m. claimed there was an active shooter and students were wounded at Catasauqua High School, The New Castle City Police Department received a call from a male threatening to shoot up New Castle High School around the same time Hopewell responded to the threats, but upon further investigation found many other schools received fake threats involving active shooters or potential bombs. As over 89 gun-related incidents have occurred on school campus in 2023, those scared by Wednesday's events want to see some form of change to prevent a serious incident from happening. Hopewell Copyright 2021 WWBT. Hopewell Schools updates active shooter strategies. The phones are starting to ring and I really believe the citizens are tired. The student was detained and transported by police. Hopewell superintendent addresses next steps after guns found in schools, social media threat, Ahead of new age verification law, Pornhub blocks access in Virginia, Henrico installing permanent roundabouts off Horsepen Road, Henrico Police arrest man in deadly Highland Park shooting, Utility rate increase starts July 1 in Richmond, Teacher accused of inappropriate relationship with student. One house near the park was hit by at least a dozen bullets from the exchange. Teen killed in Hopewell; shooting suspects caught. Published: Mar. HOPEWELL, Va. -- An investigation is underway after a man was killed in a shooting in a Hopewell neighborhood Saturday evening. In anticipation of the thunderstorms and potential tornado activity, Hopewell City Public Schools will be closed. Davis said the gun was not loaded and was confiscated. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our, as if it was an actual shooting situation. Lets Tell it Together. Police arrested a Richmond man and a Petersburg man in connection with that incident. Later, reports of false alerts in Woodland Hills and New Castle also surfaced. The recent Nashville school shooting also heightened the panic and anxiety raised by the calls, Houck said. Theres a sense of nervousness, he said. WebMar 29, 2023 illustration via Getty Images / iStock Local school students are safe and are being watched over by law enforcement across the county out of an abundance of Our journalism needs your support. At Hopewell, students and staff were placed on lockdown just before 10:30 a.m. with little information. There had been a past history, were not really sure what led up to them actually pulling out a firearm and taking someones life, Chief Starke said. An initial report that a threat had also been called in to Emmaus High School was erroneous. Carolinas Get Real; Priced Out Of Charlotte; Mental Health Resources; Family Focus; 9 Food Drive; 9 School Tools; The killings are Hopewell's second and third of the year. All rights reserved. There will be an increased police presence at Nazareth Area school buildings Wednesday, Kaskey said. However, Hackney said as they work to respond to their specific social and emotional needs, she adds, we continue to see a higher level of intensity in much of the misconduct some of our students are exhibiting.. When a classmate showed me a text saying there were 'six shot' I prayed it wasn't her. Members of the community immediately helped with tips, police said Tuesday, and two suspects were arrested during a traffic stop. Students at Hopewell High School demanded more transparency and communication from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools two weeks after two guns were found on campus. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nate Branosky confirmed a caller at 7:57 a.m. claimed there was an active shooter and students were wounded at Catasauqua High School, 2500 West Bullshead Road in Allen Township. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Parents began to panic on social media this morning after reports of an active shooter and mass casualties were coming in from the Hopewell School District. Hackney also addresses relaying these incidents to families when they happen. Starke said his department was still investigating and did not say if there was any proof the two victims may have fired at their pursuers. Fake reports of school shooters were spread across the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday morning, with hoaxes at Phillipsburg, Catasauqua, Nazareth and Allentown.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com. Baker,a Maryland native who has lived across from Arlington Park most of her time in Hopewell, remembered that fateful day. Because the defendants are juveniles, any further identification is being withheld. "You know, do I feel personally in either case that each child was willing to carry that out, I'd say no. Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck said the fake shooting call was first made for Catasauqua, and then a call with the same details was received for Nazareth Area High School, 501 E. Center St. Nazareth Area Superintendent Richard Kaskey sent out an automated call to parents Wednesday warning them of a false phoned-in threat. WTAE reported there were several active shooter alerts around the region and the state, with all reports sharing the same detail of six people shot inside school buildings. John Paul is an award-winning investigative journalist and founder of BeaverCountian.com. Police say they are relieved to have two 18-year-old suspects in custody who confessed to the crime. Who Will Save Us? 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. When asked if Wednesday's shooting has made her want to move, Baker did not hesitate in her answer. We have a 17-year-old that has lost his life over something senseless.. The Hopewell High School resource officer and Hopewell High School administration immediately responded and located the student. Doorbell cameras in the neighborhood captured the sounds of rapid multiple gunfire. "It's disturbing that we have individuals on our streets that would have no regard for safety of innocent lives. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Now, they say they dont feel safe in Hopewell anymore. He said the investigation will take time and technical expertise to complete. Good Morning, HCPS Staff, Families and Friends: When officers arrived on the scene, Starke said, they found the victims in a car that had crashed into an iron railing on steps leading into the park. Its just terrible. A group of students are escorted to be released after a threat at the Bellefonte Area High School on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. When Aliquippa police received reports of an armed gunman and casualties at Hopewell Senior High School Wednesday morning, first responders were on the scene within minutes. Eleven days ago, a 17-year-old teenager was killed at a trailer park on Oaklawn Boulevard. WebHOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - The Hopewell police department says two people were arrested after a shooting left a 17-year-old male dead on Monday night. December 20, 2012 / 11:01 PM The FBI is aware of the numerous swatting incidents, a spokesperson from the bureaus Philadelphia office confirmed. Investigators say the post "insinuated a possible shooting to occur in the school.". Starke said residents in that area called police dispatch about shots being fired. Neither of the boys could explain why. Who Will Save Us? "When a coworker said Hopewell was 'under attack,' too, I thought it was odd for two schools in the area to have active shooters," Yoko-Schwartz said. Police ultimately determined the report was fake part of a spate of swatting calls made to elicit a large police presence and stir chaos but the community's terror in those moments was real. Officials say a student was caught with a gun, which was later confiscated. WebUpdated: Nov. 13, 2020 at 5:04 PM PST. Aliquippa, PA 15001-4501 Phone: 724-375-6691 Contact Us Through tears, they said they tried to save his life, taking the clothes off their backs to put pressure on his wounds. Its really heart-wrenching, Hopewell Chief of Police A.J. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). To find out it was all a hoax, nobody was injured and that we all had to go through that for a prank call honestly makes me angry more than anything.". I cant even explain the feeling of that.. WebPublished: Aug. 15, 2022 at 3:26 AM PDT. CMS High School students may be linked to a drive-by shooting on Richard Rozzelle drive that left 3-year-old Asiah Figueroa dead and his four-year-old sister with a gunshot wound, says detectives with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. UPDATE: Fake school shooting calls: Lehigh Valley, Phillipsburg not alone as hoaxes cross Pa. Days after a school shooter killed three students and three adults in Nashville, authorities in the Lehigh Valley and Phillipsburg on Wednesday morning were dealing with a series of fake school shooting calls. Several districts in western Pennsylvania, including New Castle Junior-Senior High School, treated these threats as credible and told students to shelter in place or evacuate when possible. He adds school administration and Hopewell Police responded and resolved the situation without incident. "And I was about to go out because I thought someone was knocking at my door at 2 o'clock in the morning. As a result, families outside the school assumed the worst as reports from police scanners indicated a potential shooter in the building. Part 3: We Pay Police & EMS Why Not Firefighters? Op-Ed: Fighting Crime By Eliminating Lead Paint. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. Subscribe here. School leaders say the gun was confiscated, and the student was detained. As students evacuated the building, many could be seen holding each other close. Clark is thankful school officials are bringing this to the table. WebHopewell Area School District 2354 Brodhead Rd. 29, 2023, 9:03 a.m. Officers stand guard outside Phillipsburg High School for an active-shooter simulation in 2019. On Dec. 30, an 8-year-old girl was shot and killed on Freeman Street just days before her birthday. Starke said investigators were combing the area looking for any home surveillance videos or witnesses to the crime. Instead, school leaders will choose whether to evacuate the building or lockdown based on where the incident is occurring in the building. ", In the other incident, police say writing was discovered in the stall of a boy's restroom "about bringing a 9mm handgun to school for a shooting at 9:15 a.m. on Friday. I'm just glad everyone is OK.", Photos from Hopewell lockdown: Hopewell High school locked down by hoax active shooter call. HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell High School sent a message to parents saying a student brought a gun to Recently, the community has been devastated by an increase in crime and violence. Police arrested a Richmond man and a Petersburg man in connection with that incident. Eighteen months ago, one of those Independence Day events was rocked by violence when a man was shot to death after a fight broke out at the park. Theres going to be a heavy police presence of troopers of the remainder of the day at the school, and troopers will be at the school for the foreseeable future, Branosky said.