COLUMBIA TWP – The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office responded to Columbia High School on Thursday morning after an anonymous caller claimed to be outside the building with a rifle and threatened to harm students and staff.
The call came in around 10:45 a.m. on January 8, prompting Columbia High School, located at 14168 West River Road in Columbia Township, to immediately enter lockdown and alert Lorain County 911.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the caller stated they were armed and planned to assault those inside the school. Deputies arrived within minutes, conducted a protective sweep of the campus, and cleared both the interior and exterior multiple times. An unmanned aerial vehicle was deployed to assist with the search, and nearby Columbia Middle School and Columbia Elementary were also checked.
With assistance from the Lorain County Major Crime Task Force Detective Bureau and school staff, investigators later determined the threatening phone call originated from out of state.
No students, staff members or officers were injured. Because the suspect has not yet been identified, the incident remains under investigation. The Sheriff’s Office said criminal charges will be pursued. As a precaution, a deputy remained posted at the high school for the rest of the day.
Columbia Township Fire, Lorain County Metro Parks and the Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted during the response.