Lock out initiated at schools after Facebook threat against Gunnison

Comment about “putting Gunnison on the map” prompts swift response

The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office contacted a man on Monday, January 28 after he allegedly put “comments of a threatening nature” on Facebook, according to the Gunnison Police Department.

“The comments were not directed at a specific individual or entity but were of sufficient concern that the public school and sheriff’s office were made aware of the threats,” police said in a statement.
Gunnison police chief Keith Robinson said one of the man’s rambling Facebook posts referred to making Gunnison famous and also made a general comment about shooting.
The Montrose Daily Press reported that the threat made was related to “putting Gunnison on the map,” and referenced recent acts of violence reported in the news.
School superintendent Jon Nelson said he was made aware of the comments around 10:30 a.m. Monday and immediately made the call to initiate a lock-out at Gunnison High School, Gunnison Community School and Lake Elementary.
“As a precaution we went to lock-out. What that means is that within the buildings, school goes on as normal, with the exception of kids not going outside for recess. And people on the outside aren’t getting into school until they’re identified and checked in through the office,” he said.
Nelson said the district’s Emergency Management Plan “went pretty well,” with the only complaints coming from parents who wanted more information about the situation.
By 11:45 a.m., sheriff’s deputies had contacted the man at his home in the county and the schools subsequently lowered their security.
Robinson said the comments raised a lot of flags for law enforcement, but since the comments stopped short of threatening a person or entity, they didn’t constitute a crime.