Santa Barbara Middle School students and staff safely evacuate campus following reported bomb threat

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Students and staff at the Santa Barbara Middle School safely evacuated the campus following an unsubstantiated bomb threat report, according to Ethan Ragsdale of the Santa Barbara Police Department.

Ragsdale said an out-of-state number called in around 11:10 a.m. Tuesday to report a bomb threat on the school campus.

As of 11:50 a.m., Santa Barbara Middle School said all students and staff were out and safe, and students awaited pick-up while multiple police officers stayed on campus.

Darren Brews, communications director for the school, said a message to the parents was sent out, and parents picked up their kids from the Santa Barbara Bowl.

Brews said after they received the call from SBPD to evacuate, staff and students evacuated to the bottom field. Brews noted that the safety team ran evacuation drills a few weeks ago, so the evacuation went swiftly.

Brews said that police and firefighters arrived to the scene very quickly after the call.

Ragsdale said a bomb squad with bomb-sniffing K-9s investigated the school, and Brews said the school received the all-clear at 1:30 p.m.

Classes were dismissed and all sporting events were cancelled for the day, according to Brews.

The investigation is ongoing. Brews said counselors will be available to students for support.