Students released from Ridglea Hills Elementary after Fort Worth police investigate threat
There was a heavy police presence at Ridglea Hills Elementary School in Fort Worth on Monday afternoon after an off-campus domestic situation led authorities to place the school on “a secured status,” according to a Fort Worth ISD spokesperson.
“In an abundance of caution, police and District staff decided to provide extra security for after-school activities and followed a controlled release of the students,” the Fort Worth ISD statement said.
Star-Telegram journalists outside the school saw children and adults being released from the building about 5:45 p.m.., about two hours after police arrived to secure the campus. Everyone had been released shortly after 6 p..m. and police were leaving the campus.
According to a police call log, a 911 caller reported about 3:45 p.m. that someone involved in the domestic dispute made a threat toward Ridglea Hills Elementary. But authorities said that nothing occurred on campus. The district said in its statement that, “We want to emphasize that the incident was not related to the school and the safety of our staff and students is always our top priority.”
Police alerted the school of a “domestic issue between family members that took place off campus,” after the school’s 3:20 p.m. dismissal time, according to the Fort Worth ISD statement. It’s unclear how many people remained in the building after dismissal time.
No injuries were reported. Officers in tactical gear could be seen watching the area outside the school before everyone inside was released.
Several surrounding roads were blocked off, and people in the immediate area said that police had advised them to stay in their homes.
More than 30 police units began responding to the school, at 6817 Cumberland Road in west Fort Worth, about 3:45 p.m., according to the police department’s call log.
A Fort Worth police spokesperson said officers were at the school investigating a call but did not immediately provide additional details.
A Star-Telegram reporter outside the school did not see any ambulances, and a MedStar spokesperson said the ambulance service had not received a call to that location Monday afternoon.
This story was originally published February 13, 2023 at 4:47 PM.