Upper Coomera State College lockdown lifted after student makes shooting threats

UPDATE: A northern Gold Coast school which had gone into lockdown twice after a student posted shooting threats online has allowed students to leave the grounds.

STUDENTS at Upper Coomera State College have been allowed to leave school after spending up to three hours in lockdown today.

The gates were locked and the atmosphere at the gates were tense before teachers opened the door minutes ago.

It comes after the school was placed in lockdown for nearly two hours this morning. Police had again attended the school after the college actioned another precautionary lockdown just before 1.30pm.

Father Warren Priddis said this lockdown was more serious than the first, requiring a silent lock down due to reports of a threat involving a gun.

“This is more serious, he’s (alleged culprit) made other threats that he’s been watching the school,” Mr Priddis said.

“I think the anxiety levels are a bit high.

“My daughter was frightened, but I got a text from her saying she’s okay.”

Parents gather out the front of Upper Coomera State College after the school went into lockdown following an alleged shooting threat.

EXCLUSIVE: TAUNTING POSTS BEHIND SCHOOL LOCKDOWN

Students have spent about three hours in lock down today in total.

Mother Melissa Gillard went to pick up her daughter from the school after the news of the second lock down and ended up being stuck in the lockdown herself.

“I got stuck in there,” she said.

“I’m not really sure what happened.

“I just got a text from my daughter saying to pick her up, I left work and walked in and they said ‘were in another lockdown’.”

Students have expressed their disgust with the alleged culprit of the threats.

“It’s just a little kid posting on Facebook. It’s stupid.”

Upper Coomera State College is in lockdown for the second time on the same day. Picture: Amber MacPherson

One parent received a text from her daughter at the school suggesting the student making the threats is a year 7 boy.

“Mum, I can’t talk. We are in lockdown and have to be quite (sic),” the student wrote.

“They are in the school coming for us … with his gun.

“Big tuff (sic) grade 7 kid.”

A text sent from an Upper Coomera State College student to her mother amid the second lockdown at the school today.

EARLIER: THE lockdown of a northern Gold Coast school has been lifted after police confirmed a shooting threat on social media was a hoax.

Upper Coomera State College was put in lockdown for nearly two hours from 10.30am after an alleged threat was believed to have been made on social media overnight.

Police attended and investigated the authenticity of the threat while students were held inside classrooms and worried parents milled outside the school.

Police confirmed it was a hoax just after midday with parents told they could sign their children out for the rest of the school day. Most students have remained for the rest of their classes.

One parent said she heard unconfirmed reports a year 7 and a year 9 student were behind the alleged shooting threat.

Carly Kendall, the sister of year a 12 student, said she heard about the situation and raced over.

“You hear about school shootings and stabbings, you don’t want to think about it but it happens. We’re not the US but it is scary.”

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A text from an Upper Coomera State College student to a parent following an alleged shooting threat put the school in lockdown.

Students texted parents from inside the school with one parent sharing a screenshot from her child saying ‘we’re in the back room, our teacher is trying to keep us occupied’.

Another parent said the explanation from the school was vague, however the lockdown threat was said to have stemmed from social media.

“I heard it’s just kids mouthing off on social media,” Warren Priddis said.

“I was petrified.

“I knew the school was going to do a good job with lock down.

“It’s all good, it’s all fine.”

Worried parents received a text message from Upper Coomera State College at 10.30am advising the school was in ‘voluntary lockdown’.

The text message read: ‘UCSC has gone into voluntary lockdown as a precautionary measure until further notice’.

A text message from Upper Coomera State College to parents notifying the school has gone into voluntary lockdown following threats of a shooting.

“The safety of students and staff is our priority. Thank you”.

Police swarmed the scene and confirmed they were ‘investigating the authenticity of an alleged threat’.

Officers worked closely with the Education Department in relation to the management of the situation and safety of the students.

The Department of Education confirmed the school, which is a Prep to Year 12 campus on Reserve Rd, was in lockdown.