Two Orange deputies on leave after superiors not told of threat in high school bathroom

The Orange County Sheriff's Office has placed two deputies on leave while authorities investigate why they weren't informed for several days about a threat found in a bathroom at Cedar Ridge High School.

"I am concerned that officers under my command failed to report these threats to their superiors," Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in a statement. "Regardless of what action a school principal is taking in response to a threat, it is violation of our policy for a deputy not to immediately report any threat to the safety of our students and school system personnel to his or her superior officer. We take great pride in our training and our safety protocols. This failure on our part is unconscionable."

According to a timeline of events released Monday by the sheriff's office, Principal Intisar Hamidullah found graffiti in a girls bathroom at Cedar Ridge High on May 20 indicating there would be a school shooting on May 29 followed by a suicide. Hamidullah reported the graffiti to a school resource officer, and custodial staff removed the graffiti, but no other action was taken.

A student reported similar graffiti in the same bathroom to Hamidullah on May 24, and the principal notified a second SRO of it, adding that it was the third or fourth time such writing had been found. Again, according to the timeline, no one at Orange County Schools or at the sheriff's office command staff was notified.

A second student took a photo of the graffiti on Friday before it was removed and showed it to her mother, who called 911 on Friday evening, according to the timeline. A deputy contacted one of the SROs by phone, but because of miscommunication, they believed they were speaking about a single incident and that school staff had addressed it.

Hamidullah notified district officials about the second graffiti on Friday evening – after the 911 call was made – and administrators began investigating, according to the timeline. Lt. Tina Sykes, who supervises SROs for the sheriff's office, was then notified about the graffiti as well.

Over the weekend, school officials and law enforcement began planning for the students’ safe return to school following the Memorial Day holiday, with particular concern for May 29, the date referred to in the graffiti.

School officials began compiling a list of students who might be responsible for the graffiti on May 28 and interviewed several, according to the timeline. Cedar Ridge High custodial staff also sanded off the second graffiti, which had been etched into a metal wall.

The school then notified staff and parents about the threat that was discovered on May 24.

"We train our staff to understand the protocols and procedures around safety, but it is clear our expectations were not met this time," Superintendent Todd Wirt said in a statement. "We rely on our school principal to take the lead to protect our children, and without a doubt, we must do better.”

Another threat of school violence was found in a boys bathroom stall at Cedar Ridge High of May 30, authorities said. It was removed immediately, and school district and sheriff's office authorities began investigating it. Blackwood authorized a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and prosecution in the case.

"Investigators will continue working with this information to bring the case to a safe conclusion," the sheriff said, referring to all three threat incidents. "This kind of threat causes disruption to student activities and creates heightened anxiety at a time when students should be free to focus on upcoming exams and successfully concluding the school year. Threats to their ability to do so will be taken seriously and prosecuted to the fullest extent."