1:20 p.m. update:

A spokeswoman for Waimea Middle School said that a lockdown has been lifted after police took into custody a person who allegedly made a threat against an unidentified school or schools.

“We sincerely thank our students, faculty and staff for following procedures to be safe and take care of each other,” said spokeswoman Patti Cook.

“We thank our families for their patience because we did not have much information to share other than that their children were safely locked in classrooms.  We also thank the police for their quick assistance and the news media for helping keep families informed.”

 

According to officials at Waimea Elementary School, the lockdown was lifted there at about 1 p.m. after a suspect was taken into custody in Kona. They said that the release time for students would be at 2:17pm, but parents were being allowed to pick up their children now.

 

The arrest information could not be immediately confirmed with police.

11 a.m. update:

Police this morning instituted a lockdown at Waimea Middle School and Waimea Elementary School, and have requested that parents and others refrain from coming to the campuses at this time, a school official said.

According to Waimea Middle Community Liaison Patti Cook, the campus is secure and students are safe.

The lockdown was put in place at 10:18 a.m., she said.

Cook said she did not yet know the reason for the lockdown.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Families of students with questions can call the school directly at 887-7636, Ext. 221 for Waimea Elementary School and 887-6090, Ext 22 for Waimea Middle School.

11:45 a.m. update:

Schools in Honokaa are also under lockdown this morning, officials there say.

According to information from Alan Brown, vice-principal at Honokaa High and Intermediate School, and Rachelle Matsumura, principal at Honokaa Elementary, all three schools remained under lockdown shortly before noon.

The lockdown was put in place at about 10:30 a.m., Brown told Big Island Now’s Josh Pacheco.

Matsumura said that a threatening text message was sent to Honokaa police.

She said students remain safe and police continue to investigate the matter.

Matsumura encouraged parents to visit to the school’s website for updates.

— Alia Wong