August 24, 2023 – Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office officials report that on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, deputies responded to Salida Middle School for a report of student talking about having a firearm. A bullet was found, but no other ammunition or firearms were located and all students were released. A student was identified as possibly being involved, but no arrests were made.
At 1:11 p.m., Stanislaus Regional 911 dispatched deputies to call from a school employee stating a student overheard others talking about having a firearm. A single bullet was found in the same area that the boys were standing in. The Sheriff’s Office personnel immediately responded, arriving within two minutes, and requested the fire department and AMR assist out of precaution. While deputies were on campus, multiple students inaccurately informed their parents that there was an active shooter.
Deputies requested the campus be locked down and established a plan to systematically search to ensure there was no threat to the students or staff members. All children were safely taken from classrooms and checked for any firearms. To expedite the release of kids to their awaiting and concerned parents, they left their belongings behind to be examined by law enforcement.
Due to there being approximately 680 students on campus during the incident, it took until about 3:45 p.m. to release them all.
Deputies remained at the school until completing their search. The Stanislaus County Probation Department and Lathrop Police Department responded to assist and utilized gun and ammunition sniffing canines throughout the campus to search for contraband.
Other than the initial bullet found by a student, no firearms or ammunition were located on any students or on the property. The single round of ammunition turned into the staff was collected. One student was identified as possibly being involved in the incident, but no arrests were made.
Thank you to the parents for your patience as we diligently worked to ensure the safety of everyone on campus and the surrounding community. Also thank you to the assisting agencies for their help. Without their quick response, an already expansive search would have delayed returning children to their parents.
Source: Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office
