MESA, Ariz. — The Mesa Police Department on Friday posted a series of tweets condemning false threats after five Valley schools were put on lockdown this week for bomb scares and reports of suspicious devices.
"The Mesa Police Department considers no threat a joke, especially when it involves the children who attend school in our city," the department said in a tweet."All these threats are taken seriously and are thoroughly investigated."
About 3,000 Mesa High School students were evacuated Wednesday after officials received a call about a "suspicious device" on campus.
Police told students' families that the school received a bomb threat at 8:30 a.m. through a 911 call, officers said. The school immediately went into lockdown and students were evacuated to the school's football field then transported by bus to Mountain View High School.
Officers combed through buildings but did not locate any suspicious devices. Mesa police said that they are investigating two juvenile individuals as leads but there have not been any arrests.
Then on Thursday, police were called to at least four Valley high schools – one day after Mesa High was evacuated.
Police were called to Red Mountain High School in Mesa before school opened after reports of a "suspicious package" in the building. A search yielded nothing, according to the Mesa Police Department. Police were called again later in the day for a similar report but found nothing.
Canyon View High School in Buckeye was in lockdown Thursday morning after a threat was made against it, according to an announcement from the school. The department and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office are investigating.
RELATED: A day after a bomb scare at Mesa High School, 4 more Valley schools have gone into lockdown
Westwood High School in Mesa was put into lockdown for an hour Thursday morning after students received a Snapchat message saying a school shooting would occur at 11:22 a.m., according to a Mesa police spokeswoman. The department did not find the threat "credible," she said, but provided additional security officers for the day.
Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear went into lockdown early Thursday morning.
Administration at the high school was notified that a possible non-student had entered the campus, according to school officials. Goodyear police suggested the campus be locked down as a safety measure. A campus search found the non-student in about 10 minutes and that person was detained by police. No further details were released.
RELATED: Police sweep Red Mountain High School after anonymous 911 caller said they saw a 'suspicious device'
The Mesa Police Department emphasized the "serious consequences" in the series of tweets, and asked parents to talk to children about responsible social media.
"These threats do not only have serious consequences, but can cause severe emotional distress to students, parents, school staff and the overall community," the department said on Twitter.
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