Maintenance on active shooter system triggers false alarm at Butler Middle School
Aug 25, 2023, 5:30 PM | Updated: 5:58 pm
A Canyons School District bus is pictured outside of the Capitol in Salt Lake City, on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. An active shooter alarm system was accidentally tripped at Butler Middle School. This happened while crews were performing maintenance.(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah — An active shooter alarm system was accidentally tripped at Butler Middle School Friday.
According to a Canyons School District spokesperson, the alarm was accidentally tripped while crews were performing maintenance on the alarm system.
The spokesperson said the system immediately played the automated emergency messages. The messages include instructions on how the students and teachers should proceed.
“Immediately following that, the principal got on the PA system and let the entire school know that it was a malfunction,” the spokesperson said. “That they were not in a lock-down situation. And, that there was no emergency.”
Following this, parents were notified of the malfunction, and they were assured that there was no emergency.
The principal’s announcement came within minutes of the false alarm, according to the spokesperson.
“It was obvious that it was the automated announcement,” the spokesperson said. “And they knew that it was … a malfunction of the system.”
According to the spokesperson, crews have done maintenance on alarm systems at eight schools other than Butler Middle School without tripping the alarm.
Going forward, the spokesperson said crews will do maintenance on the alarm systems outside of school hours.
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