‘Gun threat’ to school as staff and students on lockdown after anonymous caller says he ‘would shoot someone in 20 minutes’

Pupils and staff were ‘held’ in a London school earlier this week after an ‘anonymous, untraceable’ phone call was received from someone ‘claiming they were planning to shoot someone’. Orleans Park School in Richmond “immediately contacted” the Metropolitan Police Service on Thursday afternoon (May 16), who arrived “promptly”.

The school also requested the police to attend the following day (Friday 17 May). In an email to parents seen by MyLondon, the school’s headteacher gave an account of what happened.

She wrote: “Dear families. I want to provide clarity on the situation this afternoon to prevent any speculation.

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“Today at 2:41pm we received an anonymous, untraceable phone call to the front desk from a male stating that he had a firearm and was planning to come to the school in 20 minutes to shoot someone . I immediately contacted the police, who arrived promptly.

“Students and staff were detained until we got clearance from the police to release them. I have also requested a police presence at the start of the school day tomorrow for added security.

“I want to express my gratitude to all staff and students for their calm and composed response. School will resume as normal tomorrow.”

A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called at around 2.40pm on Thursday 16 May to a school in Twickenham following concerns about a phone call made to the school.

“Officers attended as a precaution. The issue is being treated as a hoax.”

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