by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Updated at 3:38p.m.: At around 11:00 a.m., a student at Claremont High reported to CHS facility that they might have overheard another student express they were in possession of a firearm on campus.

According to CHS’s principal Brett O’Connor, the student who reported the incident was interviewed by staff so they could attempt to identify the alleged suspect quickly. The student who reported the threat did not know the other student’s name.

“We did not have a name of the student who made the threat, we had a description of him” Principal O’Connor told the COURIER Friday. “So during that time period [between student interview and calling CPD], we are working with witnesses, showing them different pictures of different students to be able to make sure we identify the right student.”

Once the student who made alleged the weapon’s remark was identified, faculty attempted to pull the student out of class according to Principal O’Connor. However, the alleged suspect was not there.

“The student that was identified…By the time that student was identified, we realized he had been picked up by a family member and he was not on campus,” Principal O’Connor said.

Following the report, CHS’s Principal Brett O’Connor promptly called the Claremont Police Department at 11:07 a.m. Within minutes of the report, CPD were on the campus.

“Officers responded up there. We conducted an investigation essentially of what was going on,” CPD watch commander Jason Walters said.

After being told the suspect had left campus, CPD identified and made contact with them at their place of residence.

“We were able to contact the individual that they believe may be in possession of a firearm and he was not,” Mr. Walters said. He also added that no arrests were made.

CPD also contacted the individual who originally told CHS faculty about the weapon. Mr. Walters said the individual came to the conclusion that another student was in possession of a weapon because they allegedly overheard the other student talk about it.