Lockdown lifted at West HS after reported threat

A reported threat caused a brief security lockdown at Denver's West High School on Wednesday morning that has been lifted.

The incident began when a student reported to school administrators that another student was bringing a weapon to the school at 951 Elati St., said Will Jones, Director of Media Relations for Denver Public Schools.

The principle alerted DPS security officials and the school was placed on a precautionary lockdown at 8:20 a.m., Jones said. During a lockdown, school exterior doors are locked and students remain in locked classrooms. The security level was reduced 15 minutes later to a lockout, where exterior doors are locked but students and staff can move within the school.

Security officials soon learned that the student reported to be bringing a weapon to school was not at school, Jones said. The lockout was lifted at 8:50 a.m. and the school returned to normal activities.

DPS security officials will continue to investigate the reported threat to determine if there was any validity to it, Jones said.