Extra security at Castle Park, Sweetwater high schools after threat rumors circulate

Extra police officers were stationed at two South County high schools on Thursday after students Castle Park High and Sweetwater High reported hearing rumors of threatening graffiti being left in school bathrooms.

In the Castle Park incident, Chula Vista police investigated reports that a shooting threat was left on the wall of a men’s bathroom, although no such graffiti was found anywhere at the school.

“Somebody started a rumor that a student found graffiti saying there is going to be a shooting today,” said Chula Vista police school resource Sgt. Joe Picone.

Custodians and officers searched the campus, but no threatening graffiti was found. The rumor, spread by word of mouth and social media, persisted, so police decided to provide a heightened presence on campus Thursday.

“I have officers there... to ease people’s minds,” Picone said. “We have no evidence of anything. We searched the school this morning and we didn’t find anything. Somebody started a rumor — it originally started with an alleged graffiti posting in one of the men’s bathrooms — but was never confirmed. It was never there.”

At Sweetwater High, extra National City police officers also were sent to that campus Thursday after a persistent rumor about a violent threat alarmed students.

A threat was left in a bathroom several days ago by a student who admitted writing the words but who said it was meant as a prank, said Sweetwater Union High School District spokesman Manny Rubio. The student was suspended and the incident has been referred to National City police.

“It is something that happened last week and now you have some other people spinning the same rumor from something that happened,” he said. “Kids keep hearing about it (and think) this is happening, this is happening.”