Fremont High School students and staff were evacuated at 11:20 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, when admin received a call from an individual threatening the safety of the students. Law enforcement immediately arrived on campus to secure the perimeters and assess the situation. FUHSD sent an email at 12:08 p.m., notifying parents and students of the unfolding events. 

“While we understand that this situation is concerning, it is important that parents do not come to campus at this time,” the email said.

FHS junior Timothy Philip remembered feeling concerned and panicked when evacuating due to the unexpected nature of the threat. Philip described the scene as “disorganized” since the instructions given by staff weren’t clear. 

“I think they had some kind of plan in place for [evacuations like this,] but I think in practice, it became very disorganized,” Philip said. “Our teacher, for example, [was] supposed to come with us to the rally point, but she didn’t. She had to go and do something and so we actually had to go there on our own.”

However, Philip believes that FHS handled the situation appropriately due to the “sudden and threatening nature of the threat being made.” 

FUHSD sent another email at 12:41 p.m. that explained how all FHS students would be released at 12:45 p.m., canceling the remainder of the school day. Students could still walk or ride the bus home, but if they needed to be picked up, FUHSD directed parents to a designated address. For the rest of the day, no students are allowed back on campus, including those looking to retrieve items left in classrooms. Following this order, an announcement during third period informed MVHS students that the baseball game against FHS was canceled. 

“Our first priority remains the safety of our students and staff,” the second email read. “We sincerely appreciate the quick response of Sunnyvale Public Safety this morning.”