Authorities in Richland County on Wednesday said that the reports of shots fired at Blythewood High School and several other South Carolina schools was a hoax started from a TikTok challenge. 

Officers responded to reports of a gunshot earlier in the day. Investigators secured the school and public was asked to avoid the area. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the FBI was assisting with the investigation. 

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“We got the resources of the federal government that’s going to help us out too.”

However, the department soon found out that the active-shooter call was a hoax. 

“This morning law enforcement responded to a call from an unknown caller that shots had been fired on the Blythewood High School campus,” Richland Two said in a statement. 

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“The Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded immediately. The school was placed on lockdown while law enforcement searched the building. RCSD has determined the call was one of three hoax calls made to South Carolina schools this morning. There is no evidence of any gunfire or injuries at the school.”

The school was placed under lockdown. However, the district announced that the students will be released to parents from the stadium at the high school.

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Lott added that the call came in at 10:25 AM. Police were told that someone was shot inside a specific room. He said law enforcement responded quickly and the school implemented their active shooter protocols. He also praised the efforts of the staff. 

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“Everybody did exactly what they have been trained to do,” Lott said.

Superintendent of Richland School District Two, Dr. Baron Davis, said, “I was thankful to the students and employees and support staff to ensure that the students follow the protocol that was put in place.”