“There will be no disciplinary action taken. It was an innocent accident,” said Gould.
UPDATE, 11:55 a.m.: Lt. Todd Snelling, Warren County Sheriff's Office Deerfield Twp. Post commander, said several people were questioned Thursday after an accidental activation of an emergency alarm at Kings Junior High.
“There was video,” Snelling said. He added that after questioning, deputies determined there was no criminal intent and charges would not be filed.
Snelling said there were very few people in the building when the alarm was activated in the administration office, but he would not say if it was accidentally tripped by an adult or a student.
Questions about if the person could face disciplinary action by the school district were referred to the superintendent by Snelling.
UPDATE, 11:45 a.m.: No charges will be filed against the person who police and school officials say accidentally activated an emergency alarm at Kings Junior High.
“Even though this was an accident, we will review our protocols and procedures to help ensure that something like this doesn’t happen in the future,” Kings Superintendent, Tim Ackermann said in a statement.
UPDATE, Dec. 9: Kings Schools is among many Warren and Butler County area schools to have installed an emergency communications system that directly links with area law enforcement and fire departments.
The Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS) system, which was expanded among participating Ohio schools by state funding in 2013, is activated by hitting a single button usually located in the administrative offices of school buildings.
Initially Kings officials reported they suspected the MARCS alarm system was activated accidentally by someone.
UPDATE @ 8:57 p.m.:
An investigation into how the alarm was activated is ongoing and a person of interest is being interviewed, according to a statement from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office .
UPDATE @ 6:15 p.m.:
Both Kings Junior High and Kings High School have been cleared by law enforcement, according to the district, and students are permitted to return to the buildings to retrieve any personal items.
“We appreciate the cooperation and quick response from the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Deerfield Township Fire and all surrounding law enforcement agencies,” the Kings school district posted on its Facebook page.
School will resume tomorrow as scheduled, according to district officials.
UPDATE @ 5 p.m.:
Students who were on the Kings Junior High and Kings High School campus are being bused to Rivers Crossing Community Church, 5937 Kings Island Drive, for reunification with parents, according to the district.
All activities at Kings Junior High and Kings High School have been canceled for this evening, including band concerts and athletic events.
A heavy police presence was still in the area as officers cleared the campus that houses both school buildings.
INITIAL REPORT, Dec. 8:
A Warren County junior high school was briefly on lockdown this afternoon after an emergency alarm was accidentally triggered, according to a spokeswoman for the school district.
Kings Junior High was placed on lockdown after emergency crews responded to the alarm at the school, located at 5620 Columbia Road, just before 4 p.m. today.
Members of the school’s basketball team and dance team, who were practicing at the school, were asked to follow lockdown procedures while police inspected the building, according to Dawn Gould, a spokeswoman for the district.
No injuries were reported, a source at the school told this news outlet.
The school dismisses at 2:26 p.m. on Thursdays, according to the district’s website. It houses students in grades seven and eight.
At about 4:10 p.m. the district Tweeted that all of its athletic event for tonight, Dec. 8, were cancelled.
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