Bartlesville schools closed Wednesday due to threat

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Bartlesville Public Schools are closed district-wide Wednesday after what school officials called credible reports of a threat against the high school.

Wednesday was to be the last day of classes before the district's winter break.

Superintendent Gary Quinn said district officials expect the situation to be stabilized by the time students are scheduled to return to school on Jan. 2.

"During the break, we will be working together with the local police department to evaluate current security at all sites and provide recommendations for the safety of our students," he said.

Police Chief Tom Holland told 2NEWS the investigation began on Tuesday when individuals approached police about a possible threat.

During a scheduled news conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday police said the threat was a "suspicious incident"  ( click here if on mobile http://bit.ly/REhJfB ) that occurred near the high school after school hours when at around 4 p.m. Tuesday an individual called police after seeing two men with a gun climb into an SUV and drive away. 

Police said while they are still looking for the SUV, they believe the men may have been duck hunting near a pond near the school.

During his remarks, Quinn said when school officials learned of the individual allegedly in possession of a weapon on the school property, school officials took the threat "very seriously" and brought the matter to police.

"The safety in security of our students and staff is our number one priority and for that reason we felt it was best to close the school for the day," he said.

Officials said during the winter break they will be examining their security protocol.

On Friday police arrested 18-year-old Sammie Chavez for terroristic threatening.

Investigators believe Chavez was planning to lure students to the high school auditorium, chain the doors and start shooting.