New Zealand / Auckland Region

Four Auckland schools in lockdown after verbal threat

14:30 pm on 27 July 2023

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Four schools located on Te Atatū Peninsula, in Auckland, are no longer in lockdown caused by a verbal threat made over the phone.

Police said in a statement that there were no immediate risks to any of the schools, although their inquiries would be continuing.

"These matters are taken seriously, and we understand this will have been alarming for parents and the community."

Officers would remain at the schools this afternoon to provide reassurance.

Rutherford College principal Gary Moore said on the school's website: "We have come out of lockdown and all students, staff and persons on-site are safely accounted for.

"Everyone did extremely well and responded to instructions."

Earlier Rutherford College was posting updates on its website detailed the nature of the call.

"At 11.22am Rutherford College received an anonymous phone call of a highly threatening nature that informed us that a armed individual would be on school grounds imminently.

"Rutherford placed the school into immediate lockdown while simultaneously informing New Zealand police of the threat."

The post said the school was reassured by the response of police who had secured the school grounds.

Police confirmed they had responded to a verbal threat made towards Rutherford College.

They were notified just before 11.30am.

Rutherford College, Rutherford Primary, Matipo School and Te Atatū Intermediate were all in lockdown.

"At 11.22am Rutherford College received an anonymous phone call of a highly threatening nature that informed us that a armed individual would be on school grounds imminently," an earlier post on the college's website said.

It advised parents not to phone or come to the school, as it could put safety at risk.

The post said parents would be advised via the website when the emergency was over.

At the start of the emergency all the schools assured parents their children were unharmed.

"All tamariki are safe and secure in their classrooms with your child's classroom teacher," Matipo tumuaki Matua Jonnie Black said.

Te Atatū College, on its website, said all students were safe and accounted for.