Former Student Detained In LA Valley College Shooting Threat
VALLEY GLEN (CBSLA.com) — Authorities detained a 21-year-old woman for several hours Thursday in connection with a shooting threat made to LA Valley College, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said.
Sydnee Lewis, who was a former LAVC student, was taken into police custody at 10:40 a.m. at her Panorama City apartment near Sylmar Avenue and Plummer Street.
Authorities proceeded to handcuff and question Lewis as deputies searched her apartment. No weapons were found and she was released four hours later.
Lewis suspects another woman called in the threat.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was alerted to a "credible" threat around 9:15 a.m. after they received an anonymous call about a possible shooter en route to the school, officials said.
"We continued to investigate, as we are now. We were able to determine that there was indeed a possibility this was going to happen. We were able to detain someone and we are continuing the investigation at this time," Lt. Melva Mitchell said.
The campus, located at 5800 Fulton Avenue, was evacuated as a precaution. All classes before 5 p.m. were canceled, but school officials said evening classes held after that time for final exams would be in session.
No visible threat was seen at the school.
Investigators are trying to track down the person who actually phoned in the threat.
