HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. — Update (8/17 at 9:55 p.m.): The Hawkins County Sheriff's Office, the Church Hill Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has determined that a 911 call regarding a shooter at Volunteer High School was a hoax.
According to Lawson, the caller claimed to be a student at Volunteer High School and told dispatch he had been bullied and harassed by popular students. The caller said he was in the main bathroom and was armed with a handgun, claiming he was going to go the gym and begin shooting, Lawson said.
The school was immediately placed on lockdown. Deputies responded Tuesday just before 8 a.m. and evacuated the school once they began searching for a suspect. After giving the school a thorough search, investigators determined the call was a hoax, saying no suspect was located and no evidence was found that any weapon had been fired or brought into the school.
No one was hurt in the incident, despite inaccurate reports of EMS being called to help two injured students. According to Lawson, an EMS crew had responded to help a student unrelated to the incident after they suffered a seizure around the time of the call.
"All the kids are safe we had no injuries. No injuries to staff or any person there at Volunteer this morning," he said.
Multiple agencies, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, are now investigating to try and find out who made the call so they can prosecute them.
Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, it is believe that the call originated outside of Tennessee, according to HCSO.
All students and staff were evacuated to the Mt. Carmel Armory, where they were picked up after their parents signed them out, school district officials said.
Parents and students said they were relieved to learn the incident was a hoax, but said the danger felt very real in the moments before they knew that.
"To not let your family members leave the house without you saying you love them... that you appreciate them telling them how each day counts...don't take anything for granted," parent Rhonda Lawson said.
The school system said more officers will be posted around the high school for the rest of the week to provide peace of mind.
"For the rest of the week you will see an increased law enforcement presence. You will also see additional staff at the site. Counselors from Hawkins County and other agencies will be on site and ready to assist," the Hawkins County School District said.
According to the Hawkins County Schools website, Tuesday marked the first full day back to school for students.