Harper Creek describes orderly lockdown and evacuation after bomb threat; investigation ongoing

Harper Creek officials told the board Monday that a bomb threat received at the high school just before 2 p.m. on Friday triggered a lockdown, an exterior sweep by public‑safety partners and a coordinated evacuation to the stadium.

Ridgeway said the district followed established safety protocols, worked with Emmet Township Department of Public Safety and the school resource officer, and waited to evacuate until the exterior had been checked. “The first thing that occurred is the high school call to lockdown … we wanted to ensure that we had the opportunity to sweep the school as quickly as possible,” Ridgeway said.

District staff escorted students to the stadium and coordinated bus departures and parent pickups; Ridgeway said the incident response concluded with the last child picked up around 4 p.m. He said staff and board members used the event to examine response procedures and that some security upgrades will be kept confidential for safety reasons.

Ridgeway told the board there is an open investigation and that there may be an arrest forthcoming. Board members and the safety committee praised staff performance during the incident.

During public comment, Linda of Fairfax Street described arriving while the response was underway and thanked staff and first responders for prioritizing students’ safety: “I just wanna thank everybody,” she said, noting the visible coordination and presence of law enforcement and teachers.

The board’s safety discussion emphasized after‑action review and incremental improvements; administrators said detailed security measures would not be publicly disclosed to avoid revealing vulnerabilities.