Students at a Long Island high school experienced intense confusion on Thursday due to a hoax shooting threat. Amidst this, they were reportedly required to continue their exams while armed officers searched their classrooms.
A student from Long Beach High School described how, when the lockdown began, he felt completely bewildered. Officers burst in and told students to barricade themselves in classrooms. He recalled hiding under a desk for what felt like hours as the chaos ensued in the hallway.
Those taking tests were particularly affected—some mentioned being unable to focus while armed officers with rifles monitored them. It was hard to concentrate on exams under such distressing circumstances.
“Normally we would stop and hide,” senior Nick Melnikov mentioned, recounting his own experience during his Spanish exam. “But they insisted we finish our tests while the officers kept an eye on us.” He had expected to finish his exam by 10:30 a.m., but instead, he was stuck at school until 2:30 p.m., moving from room to room after completing it.
Another student, Sofia Ferrera, shared that she and her classmates spent over 90 minutes hiding under their desks in darkness, waiting for the police to declare it safe again. She felt shaken by the experience, stating the toughest part was that when the lockdown ended, officials acted as if nothing had happened.
“They just went back to class like everything was fine,” Ferrera said. “I couldn’t focus at all. It left me feeling like I was just floating through the rest of the day—it didn’t feel real.”
Once the building was cleared, the lockdown was downgraded to a “lockout,” meaning no one could enter or exit. The initial threat allegedly claimed that a 15-year-old student, who felt bullied, was armed and intending to target Long Beach High School.
Meanwhile, parents expressed frustration over being left uninformed during the crisis. Many learned about the unfolding situation through frantic text messages from their children instead of official updates.
One parent, Joe Meola, expressed gratitude for the police response but critiqued the school for poor communication. “They didn’t inform us about what our kids were experiencing,” he said. He shared that his daughter had a panic attack during the ordeal.
Other parents are worried about future incidents, especially considering state-wide bans on mobile phones in schools. “What happens next year if something similar occurs?” asked Mike Dhoty, reflecting the anxiety shared by many.
The Long Beach School District has chosen not to comment on the situation.
