8 Utah schools have been placed on lockdown since the start 2023-2024 school year

Sep 5, 2023, 5:08 PM | Updated: Sep 7, 2023, 10:13 pm

BY BRADEN MCELREATH AND MICHAEL HOUCK, KSL TV

KSLTV.com

SALT LAKE CITY — In just two and a half weeks, Utah’s schools have issued seven lockdown protocols.

Since Aug. 16, KSL has reported at least seven incidents that resulted in eight different schools being placed into lockdown. Most Utah school districts started school in the middle of August, meaning three lockdown protocol calls are happening weekly.

Lessons in the lockdown: Can one school’s response to shots fired help improve safety plans in Utah?

The first reported incident was at Ceder High School in Cedar City. Police say the school went into “secure” protocol after a man walked into the school and made alarming comments to a secretary.

On Aug. 25, Butler Middle School in Cottonwood Heights was accidentally placed on lockdown after a malfunction in a new security system.

A few days later, Hunter High School and Hillside Elementary in West Valley City were placed on lockdown after reports of shots being fired in the neighborhood.

The latest lockdown happened on Tuesday at Olympus High School in Hollady after school officials said that someone called in a man walked into the school.

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