Cushing Schools On High Alert After Receiving Two Threats

If you stop by a Cushing Public School this week, it's hard to miss patrol cars. It is the second school day Cushing schools were on high alert after receiving two threats.

3/11/2013 Related Story: Police Increase Presence At Cushing Schools Following Threats

"We have increased patrol at the high school," said Sgt. Charles Claxton. "And we have increased a presence at the other schools around also in Cushing."

Cushing Police stepped up security when their anonymous tip line received a threat at Cushing Middle School on Friday and a possible shooting and bomb threat at Cushing High School on Sunday.

"No date was specified, no time was specified, just the location of the high school," said Claxton. "And we combined to work with the FBI and with OHP bomb squad to make sure that school was safe."

Cushing High School Principal Jim Lauerman says there is normally one officer patrolling the school area, but ever since the recent threats, he says a couple more officers have been circling the campus, and there are even some undercover officers also on campus.

"We checked every drawer, every file cabinet, classroom and bathroom," said Lauerman. "The dogs went through every looker, this place is clean, this is the safest place to be."

Lauerman says multiple law enforcement agencies swarmed the school on Friday even if the threat target was Cushing Middle School.

"Friday, you know was where you really didn't know what was going on," said Lauerman. "But today, there's absolutely no fear because I've been through this place from stem to stern and know there is nothing in here that will harm students."

Cushing High School let out early Friday as a precaution. Cushing Middle School called parents about the threat, Lauerman told students to alert their parents, but says he didn't want them to panic and police didn't want him to say too much.

But many parents were upset at that they didn't know more about the threats directed to their children's schools. Some used social media to say they were keeping their kids at home this week.

"It is very scary," said Ruth Olson, a parent of a Cushing High School freshman. "My daughter was a little nervous at first, and then after we found out what was going on, I explained to her everything."

Olson says she wants to be informed every step of the way.

"Kind of concerns me about what's going on, you don't really know what to do anymore," said Olson. "I think maybe they should have had closed campus just to be on the safe side."

Lauerman says officers will patrol campus as long they see it necessary. Cushing Police wouldn't go into more detail about the nature of the two threats, as it and several agencies continue the investigation.