PRESS RELEASE – On the morning of February 17, a student reported to the Evergreen High School office that a threatening message was found handwritten on a stall in the upstairs male restroom.
The message, which read “Shoot Feb 17 12:37 pm,” immediately triggered the district’s Emergency Operating Plan and launched a thorough investigation.
Out of an abundance of caution, the elementary building was placed in an outside threat status, while the high school and middle school were placed in lockdown. This allowed administration and law enforcement to conduct an uninterrupted and comprehensive search of lockers, hallways, common areas, and school facilities.
During this period, no students were permitted to enter or leave the building, and regular arrival and dismissal procedures were temporarily suspended.
After a detailed investigation and search, no substantial evidence or weapon was found to substantiate the message. The decision was made to return the campus to normal operations.
As part of Evergreen’s emergency procedures, a threat assessment was conducted and the district consulted the Ohio School Safety Center.
The investigation included a review of camera footage, SmartPass data, student interviews, and writing sample analysis. Since cameras are not permitted in restrooms, a specific person has not yet been identified as the writer.
The district continues to seek any relevant information and encourages anyone with information to report it anonymously via the district website’s “Stay Safe. Speak Up!” tab (evgvikings.org).
Superintendent Eric J. Smola and Sheriff Roy Miller emphasized that student and staff safety remains the highest priority. Additional law enforcement was present on campus throughout the day.
Moving forward, Evergreen Local Schools will continue to utilize the district safety plan as approved by the State of Ohio to maintain high-level safety standards.
For more information or to report a tip, visit evgvikings.org.