Lockdown Lifted at Three Malibu Schools

Three Malibu schools were placed on lockdown Thursday following a report that a group of students planned to plant a bomb on campus.

, and were placed on lockdown for several hours after an anonymous person called in the threat at 11:07 a.m., according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Spokeswoman Nicole Nishida.

"The lockdowns have been lifted. Everyone is safe. Nothing was found," Nishida said just after 2 p.m.

Nishida said that investigators are trying to track down who placed the anonymous call.

"If we did find that individual, charges would be brought up," Nishida said.

Morning View Drive was closed between Phillips Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway for several hours. Deputies were restricting access to the campus through Morning View Drive.

Students were allowed to return to classrooms shortly after 1 p.m.

"It is expected that we will be able to do regular dismissal at the end of the school day including bus transportation," Malibu High School Principal Mark Kelly said in an email to parents.

"Once we receive the all clear, we will allow parents to come and pick up children," Kelly wrote. "This will occur at our reunion gate, which is at the driveway between Malibu High and Juan Cabrillo. It is expected that we will be able to do regular dismissal at the end of the school day including bus transportation."

Kelly asked parents to be patient.

"We understand you want to be with your children and we want to make that happen as soon as possible, but please know we may have traffic delays on to campus because of potential high volume," he said.

A school secretary at Juan Cabrillo Elementary said that all was clear and that parents could come pick up their children at any time.

Earlier in the day, a large number of deputies arrived during the noon hour and helicopters were circling overhead at Malibu High School, according to a parent.

Kelly sent an initial message to parents just after noon.

"We received a phone call from what we believed to be a teenager who stated that a team of students were planting a bomb on the campus. We received subsequent calls containing additional threats to safety," Kelly wrote.

He added that the school reached out to law enforcement and students were evacuated and the campus was placed on lockdown, "ensuring that no one other than law enforcement comes onto or leaves campus."

A parent said in an email that she heard from her daughter that she and other students were in the school's gym.

"Some are crying -- many are scared," she said.

Another parent, Dominic Fote, said his son Adam is a junior and "was never in any fear."

"He called me to ask if there was anything in the news, and told me about it," Fote said.

As a result of the threat, swim league finals, which were scheduled to be at MHS today, were rescheduled.

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