Location: Pixely Elementary School, 300 N. School St., Pixley; and Pixley Middle School, 1520 E. Court Ave.

Incident Date: 5/11/17 and 5/12/17

Incident Time: 0900 hours

Case Number: 17-05605 and 17-05647

Victim: Pixley Unified School District

City: Pixley

Posted by: Media Relations

On 5-11-17 at approximately 0900 hours, Deputies were dispatched to the Pixley Middle School regarding a bomb threat that was received via telephone at the district office.  

Per protocol, school officials executed a flawless lockdown of both the Middle School and Elementary School.

Deputies from the Pixley Substation responded with various detectives units and members of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit certified in the detection of explosives.  A thorough and systematic search of both schools did not reveal any explosive devices or suspicious items.  While conducting the investigation, multiple phone threats were received that were similar in nature to the initial threat.  Detectives initiated an investigation to determine the source of the telephone calls.

On 5-12-17 shortly after 0900 hours, more calls were received by the district office threatening that there was a bomb on the school grounds at both the Pixley Middle and Elementary Schools.  The response, again, included deputies from Pixley Patrol and Explosive Detection Canines from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office as well as detectives from various units including the Sheriff’s Cyber and Forensic Investigations Unit.  

Both schools were, again, methodically searched with no findings.

The Sheriff’s Office has allocated significant resources to determine the source of the calls and would like to thank the Pixley Unified School District for their efficient and organized response during both incidents. 

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218 or send anonymous information by sending a text or email to TCSO@tipnow.com or call (559) 725-4194.