Threat at SLO County high school may have been a prank, sheriff says

A threat that prompted Nipomo and Central Coast New Teach high schools to “secure in place” Tuesday morning may have been the result of a prank, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said.

The two high schools were both placed on “secure in place” orders after a student at Nipomo High School was heard over the intercom saying “school shooter,” Lucia Mar Unified School District spokesperson Amy Jacobs told The Tribune.

Both schools immediately went into “secure in place” and law enforcement was called to the scene, she said.

Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tony Cipolla said there was “no danger to staff or students at this time,” adding that deputies are on the scene.

Jacobs said the classroom where the call originated from was quickly identified, and a brief investigation led to the student responsible being identified.

“Student safety remains a top priority, and all threats are taken seriously,” Jacobs said.

Cipolla said while the investigation remained ongoing as of 1:45 p.m., “all indications are that the threat was not malicious and may have been the result of a prank.”

This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 12:57 PM.