Fort Payne City Schools lift lockdown after hoax threat

Fort Payne City Schools were placed on lockdown for nearly three hours on Monday following a threatening phone call. The caller, believed to be a student, claimed to be armed and threatened to harm themselves and others.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI Gadsden Resident Agency and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, responded to the district to search all campuses. No threat was found, and police Chief David Davis stated that the incident is believed to be a “false alarm or hoax.” The lockdown was lifted for all schools just before 2 p.m. as the investigation continues.