The Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School has closed for a security sweep after a bullet was discovered on the school’s Quarter Campus grounds.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force and the school began investigating the incident on Monday, 13 January, following a tip from a student’s WhatsApp status.
Two third form students – a male and a female – have been interviewed as part of the school’s incident report, according to a press release from the Department of Education.
The situation escalated on the evening of Tuesday, 14 January, when a student’s voice note about the incident began circulating.
As a precaution, the Department of Education has closed all school campuses on 16 and 17 January. This will allow Alert Security Services and police to conduct a detailed sweep.
“Parents, guardians, teachers, students and the public are reminded that each person plays a role in ensuring the safety and security of our schools and community,” the press release said.
“It is also very important for the public to avoid oversharing social media items and in particular to practise restraint when sharing potentially inflammatory material.”
A statement from the police force on 16 January said it strongly condemns the involvement of children in any form of criminal activity, particularly offences involving firearms or other serious threats.
“Parents and guardians are reminded of their critical role in supervising their children and guiding them to make responsible choices,” it read.
“Ensuring the safety of the community begins with vigilance and proactive parenting.”
Officers also urge parents, guardians and the public to avoid oversharing unverified information, including voice notes or other content, that could lead to unnecessary panic.
“Responsible communication is essential to maintaining a safe environment and ensuring investigations are not hindered,” the statement said.
Anyone with information on any criminal activity in Anguilla can call 911, (264) 497-2333 or 497-5333, or leave an anonymous message, video or photo at www.gov.ai/911
Information from the website is stored in a secure location in California and access to it is tightly controlled.
