East Bay high school evacuated after bomb threat

EL CERRITO — A bomb threat that was posted online prompted the evacuation of El Cerrito High School on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

Police rushed to the school and sent out an advisory at 12:40 p.m. that police activity in the area of Ashbury Avenue between the intersection of Fairmount and Stockton avenues would be going on for at least four hours and that people should stay away. El Cerrito High is located in the 500 block of Ashbury Avenue.

Officials from the West Contra Costa Unified School District posted on social media just before 1:15 p.m. that they had been informed of a bomb threat against the school that had been posted online.

According to the school district, officials evacuated the school, and police were searching the campus. They also urged people to stay away.

While we understand your concern, please do not come to the campus. We do not have the ability to release any students at this time and we need to keep the streets around the school clear for emergency vehicles.

— West County Schools (@WCCUSD) May 1, 2019

“While we understand your concern, please do not come to the campus,” the district wrote on Twitter. “We do not have the ability to release any students at this time, and we need to keep the streets around the school clear for emergency vehicles,”

The district said students could be picked up after 1:30 p.m. at Harding Elementary School, located at 7230 Fairmount Ave.

Check back for updates.