HOUGHTON LAKE — A bomb threat at the Houghton Lake Walmart on Thursday morning forced an evacuation of the building and a response from the Michigan State Police bomb squad.
The incident prompted Houghton Lake Community Schools to place two nearby campuses into a secure mode as a precautionary measure while law enforcement investigates the scene.
Collins Elementary School and Houghton Lake Junior/Senior High School entered the restricted security status to ensure student safety. Superintendent Ben Williams confirmed that while entry and departures are restricted, normal classroom activities are continuing inside the buildings.
The Michigan State Police bomb squad was dispatched to the Walmart location following the threat. Store officials evacuated the building while law enforcement arrived to investigate the scene.
Superintendent Williams provided an update to families regarding the status of the district’s campuses, which are located near the retail store. “At this time, Collins Elementary School and the Jr./Sr. High are in a secure mode due to a threat to a local business a few miles away,” Williams said.
Williams emphasized that while the perimeter is secured, the school day is proceeding as scheduled for students already on campus. “This is a precautionary measure and teaching and learning is continuing as normal inside our schools,” Williams said.
The district has established specific protocols for the duration of the police investigation. Williams noted that the schools are currently limiting all movement in and out of the facilities. “We will be in secure mode which means we are restricting entry and departures into the schools until we receive the all clear from local law enforcement,” Williams said.
The school district will remain in secure mode until local law enforcement provides an all clear. Further updates regarding the Walmart investigation are expected as the Michigan State Police bomb squad completes its sweep of the building.