A 17-year-old male was taken into custody after being identified as one of the persons responsible for the shooting on Friday afternoon, according to a Sunday press release.
Around 2 p.m. on Friday, April 15, the Belmont Police Department (BPD) received reports of potential gunshots in the 2100 block of Valerga Drive and promptly notified Carlmont High School to secure its campus as a precautionary measure.
Once police arrived at the scene, they found evidence of a shooting in the area. At least two cars were hit with bullets and towed as evidence. No victims were located following a thorough search.
Sean Priest, Carlmont’s interim principal, soon emailed families to inform them of the shooting and ensure that everyone was safe at the moment.
“I want to remind parents that a secure campus does not mean a lockdown,” Priest said in the email. “Students are inside, and instruction is still happening. Students will not be released until we get the ‘all-clear’ from the Belmont PD. We will notify the community once the students are released or with any other update.”
At Carlmont, an overhead announcement was made to inform teachers of the secure campus order, stating that it was not a drill. After a few minutes, students began hearing about the shooting. This event followed rumors of gun violence from a few months prior, which had caused many families to keep their students home.
“A shooting is always worrisome, but the fact that it was so close to school makes me concerned about our campus’s safety,” said Elizabeth Kao, a junior. “I wish that our campus was more secure or that we had practiced these protocols a bit more. Our substitute teacher had a hard time figuring out how to lock the door, and other classes were unsure of whether or not to close the lights and windows.”
Ella Tashjian, a junior, did not hear any gunshots from the classroom she was in, so she thought the announcement was a new type of drill. She only realized the severity when her teacher began shutting the door and windows.
“Any noise sounded like a gunshot after that,” Tashjian said.
According to California state laws, schools must implement a certain amount of emergency drills throughout the year to prepare them for such an event.
“I think I’ve been mentally preparing for a shooting or some sort of attack at school since second grade, so I wasn’t that scared,” Tashjian said. “I knew that the threat was off-campus, and the police were already on the scene, so at the moment, I only felt a little on edge.”
The police determined the shooting to be an isolated event between at least two individuals or groups of people. Finding that there was no immediate threat to the community, students were allowed to leave school at 3:15 p.m., the regular release time.
At this time, Priest sent a second email to update parents on the traffic restrictions.
To allow police to monitor and make sure students return home safely, officers directed students to exit the campus from the San Carlos gate or the senior parking lot to avoid the scene. Students who walked home were not allowed to walk down Alameda de las Pulgas and towards the Carlmont Shopping Center.
“The traffic restrictions made it difficult for my brother and me to get home since we live closer to Ralston Middle School,” Kao said. “My car was on Valerga, and they did not let people go there even after we were allowed to walk to the bus stop at the Carlmont Village. My brother and I ended up taking the bus home, which was a bit more inconvenient.”
Investigators have worked with Carlmont’s staff on campus safety matters and found no indication that the school was involved with the incident at the moment. According to Priest’s email on Sunday, the BPD has assured the school and district that there is no threat to the Carlmont community.
The BPD is still investigating the event and asked anyone with information, including tips, video surveillance, or photos, to call their tip line at 650.598.3000. Those who call can remain anonymous.
*Article updated April 30
