WESTERVILLE, OH (WCMH) – The lockdown at Westerville South High School has been lifted after an earlier potential safety concern.Westerville police said they arrested a 17-year-old student and charged the student with inducing panic and tampering with evidence. 

According to a spokesperson with Westerville City Schools, an anonymous phone call came into Westerville South High School citing potential safety concerns.

Westerville South High School and Blendon Middle School were then placed on lockdown.

Pointview Elementary and the Academic Enrichment Center were also placed on lockouts (classes are proceeding as normal, heightened security in halls, all exterior doors locked) during the investigation, but those were also lifted.

Shortly after the schools returned to normal operations, investigators addressed the strain on resources posed by these threats or scares.

“Typically, it takes most of our staffing for whatever shift that is on,” said Lt. Ron McMillin, of the Westerville Division of Police. “Every law enforcement agency around the area deals with the same type of thing and it just needs to stop.”

McMillin also explained that issuing a threat toward a school, could result in the offender being charged and convicted of a felony.

“It could mean the difference between you getting a college scholarship and not,” he said. “It could mean the difference between going to jail and not.”