'Swatting' call prompts lockdown at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

BETHESDA, Md. - Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School went on lockdown Thursday morning after school officials reported that a bomb threat was made towards the school. 

Montgomery County Police say they arrived at the campus and began investigating the validity of the threat. It was later determined that the call was not credible and police are beginning to clear from the scene. 

BCC administrators sent out several alerts since being made aware of the threat, telling both parents and students to stay away from the campus. 

"Students if you are off campus, do not come back to the building. We are in a lockdown. More updates will be shared once we have more information," one message read. 

"Parents please do not come to B-CC at this time. You will not be permitted to come onto campus at this time. All students are in a lockdown and will remain in a secure site," the other said. 

FOX 5's Bob Barnard spoke to his son, who was inside the school at the time of the lockdown. He said students were hunkered down in their classrooms, waiting for more information. 

She shared a photo with FOX 5 as an MCPD special team cleared their classroom.

Montgomery County police said on X that "the reported threat has been determined to be unfounded. BCC is no longer on lockdown," adding that the rest of the school day was canceled. 

Parents reunited with their children after the nerve-wracking incident but one mom who spoke with FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez said she's upset with how Montgomery County Public Schools handled the situation, and that she doesn't plan to send her son, who is a senior, back to school for the next week.