Joke leads to second lockdown in two days at Mater Dei Catholic High School - The San Diego Union-Tribune

2022-09-17 00:11:34 By : Mr. Steven Wang

Chula Vista police responded to a second lockdown in two days at Mater Dei Catholic High School on Thursday after someone reported a gun on campus — which turned out to be about a massage gun.

The campus was on lockdown for “just minutes” before officers realized the object in question was a massage gun, also known as a percussion massager, said Chula Vista police Lt. Scott Adkins.

Images online show such tools look like a space-age gun with a large ball on the end.

Adkins said a teacher overheard a student joking about a massage gun and reported the incident to the school office shortly after 8:50 a.m. The school was put on lockdown and police were notified.

An officer in the immediate area went to the classroom and determined it was a false alarm, Adkins said. He said the lockdown was lifted within five minutes.

“I don’t know if the teacher even saw it but probably just heard ‘gun’ and called the office,” Adkins said.

The department said the incident was a misunderstanding, was not being treated as a crime and was being turned over to school administrators.

It was the second time this week someone reported a gun on campus. The school was put on lockdown on Wednesday after a caller reported an active shooter. The call was later determined to be a hoax, police said.

In that incident, someone called Chula Vista police from an out-of-state number about 1 p.m. to report that he was locked in a classroom with others, and that others nearby were injured. He also said he’d seen two men with rifles on campus.

Police investigated but learned from school employees that the room number mentioned by the caller did not exist. Officers cleared all classrooms and accounted for all students and staff members.

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