–The investigation continues after a threat forced schools in Algona to shelter-in-place for nearly 3 hours Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Algona Police Department, a phone call was received at Bishop Garrigan Schools around 11:48 AM Wednesday from an unknown number, in which the male caller threatened to come to the school with a gun. The school immediately began lockdown procedures on the Bishop Garrigan campus and at the Seton Elementary building.
The Algona Community School District also implemented a lockdown at each building as a precaution a short time later.
Due to a multi-agency training exercise being held in Algona Wednesday, additional law enforcement agencies were able to help provide a presence at various school buildings throughout the community.
The shelter-in-place order was lifted just before 3 PM Wednesday, and both schools dismissed students at the regular time using normal procedures. After school activities were held as normal, and classes will be held as scheduled today.
Algona Police say that at least one other school in Iowa experienced a similar call on Wednesday, which was later determined to be a false threat.
Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted during the incident, including the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Department, Kossuth County Emergency Management, Iowa State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Emmet County Sheriff’s Department, Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Department, West Bend Police Department, Emmetsburg Police Department, along with Algona Municipal Utilities.
