ST. MARYS, Ohio (WLIO) – St. Marys schools were placed on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after an anonymous caller threatened a shooting at the high school.
Police say the unknown caller told staff he had an AR-15 and was on his way to "shoot up the school and then blow himself up." The threat was made just before noon. St. Marys schools, Holy Rosary, and New Knoxville were immediately placed into lockdown. The district moved to controlled access after about two hours, allowing students to be picked up by verified guardians.
"Once everything got all locked down, contact was made with our detectives, the fusion center in Columbus, as well as the FBI," said Police Chief Lucas Turpin. "They were able to track down the number, determined it was a Google phone—an internet-only phone. They are still working on pinpointing the location. We've determined that the person used a VPN, so we're still trying to find out where it is. I know it bounced over in Switzerland already. At this point, it's looking like this was a spoof or swatting-type call. Obviously, we're going to use an abundance of caution."
"It was definitely very scary. We didn't know what was going on," said Lorna Piper, a sixth grader at St. Marys Middle School. "But the teachers were definitely there to protect us. They were making sure we were okay."
"I was at home and got a phone call that they had received a threat, so they were under lockdown," said Kayla Brinkman, a parent. "I was on social media for updates, and then got word they continued to be on lockdown. Law enforcement was in place. I kind of sat around and waited and prayed for the all clear to come get them. I do feel they handled it well. I felt she would be protected today, so I wasn't worried for her safety or anything."
Officials say school will continue as scheduled for the rest of the week, with increased police presence on campus.
The investigation is ongoing.
October 22, 2025, Letter from St. Marys Superintendent Bill Ruane:
Dear Roughrider Families:
Today shortly before noon, we received a threatening phone call to the high school office. The caller stated, "They had an AR-15 and were coming to the school to harm students and then themselves in 20 minutes". The caller was asked to repeat some of the information in which they answered the questions. This is what initiated the quick response with the stay put/lockdown. The SMPD, Auglaize Sheriff Department, State Highway Patrol, and the FBI responded immediately and had every building secured. As part of their investigation, they worked to find if the call and threat were credible. Once deemed non credible, we moved to control access. You will notice an increased police presence over the next few days throughout the district. School counselors will also be available to talk with students as needed.
I would like to thank the St. Marys City School Staff for their calm but urgent reaction. They did a phenomenal job in a tense and tough situation. I would also like to thank the first responders for their immediate response, great collaboration and continued efforts to keep our school and community safe. Finally I would like to thank the students and parents for their cooperation and patience. I know it was a very difficult day for everyone!
Respectfully,
Bill Ruane Superintendent
October 22, 2025, Press Release from the St. Marys Police Department:
On today’s date, at approximately 1148 hours, personnel from the St. Marys City Schools contacted our office regarding a threatening in nature phone call they had received at 1147 hours. Officers quickly responded to the schools within the district and all schools, including Holy Rosary School, were immediately placed on lockdown for precautionary measures. Our office, along with the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and FBI are working diligently with the school administration concerning the matter.
