Police: 10-year-old accused of falsely reporting an active shooter at school in Elmore County

Police in the Elmore County town of Coosada say a 10-year-old is accused of falsely reporting an active shooter at a school.

Investigators say the report that was made involved Airport Road Intermediate School in Coosada shortly after 3PM yesterday. Police say they got a report of an active shooter and several agencies responded to the school to make sure students and staff in after-school programs were safe.

The school was placed on lockdown as officers searched campus and inside the school. They determined that there was no threat. Police say school staff reported that they had not heard any gunshots in the area.

This morning, police and the Elmore County Board of Education say they identified a 10-year-old child who was responsible for the false report. The juvenile and their guardian are cooperating fully with the investigation, police say.

A petition has been filed against the child in the Elmore County Juvenile Court for the offense of falsely reporting an incident, which is a Class A misdemeanor, according to police. 

“Even though the juvenile perceived this as a prank, the Coosada Police Department treats these reports with the utmost  gravity. False reports divert critical resources and create unnecessary fear,” Coosada Police Chief Leon Smith said.