HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE POLICE CHIEF
PHONE: 961-2244
APRIL 19, 2000
MEDIA RELEASE
Police have taken precautions against possible acts of violence on Big Island school campuses Thursday (April 20, 2000) on the first anniversary of the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
Although they do not expect any incidents related to the anniversary, police officers have taken the precaution of working with the State Department of Education to try to prevent any local outbreaks of possible violence.
Police Chief Wayne Carvalho said community policing officers and officers assigned to the Juvenile Aid Section have been working with the individual high school administrations to investigate rumors of threatened violence circulating throughout the various schools.
“Police officers and school officials have not been able to confirm or substantiate any of the rumors,” Carvalho said. “They have found the rumors to be just that — rumors.”
Because of growing concerns expressed by students, faculty members, school administrators and the general public, however, the police department has developed contingency plans to deal with any problems as expeditiously as possible.
“Uniformed police officers will make their presence known on school campuses throughout the Big island and work with school administrators to monitor and head off potential trouble,” the chief said.
He urged parents to take precautionary measures with their school-age children to ensure they do not take firearms or any other weapons to school.
On April 20, 1999, two male students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, went on a shooting rampage that resulted in the deaths of 12 other students and one teacher before they committed suicide.
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