Josephine County Schools Placed on Secure Status After Threat at Elementary School

CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. (May. 6, 2026) — A phone threat prompted a lockdown at Evergreen Elementary School in Josephine County on Wednesday morning, leading authorities to increase security across multiple nearby campuses, officials said.

The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded at about 10:21 a.m. after Evergreen Elementary received a threatening phone call. The school was immediately placed on lockdown, and the public was asked to avoid the campus while law enforcement secured the area.

Deputies were also dispatched to nearby Illinois Valley High School and Lorna Byrne Middle School, which were placed on “secure status,” a precaution that allows classes to continue inside while restricting outdoor activities and limiting access to campus.

In a late-morning update, officials said Evergreen Elementary had downgraded from lockdown to secure status. Under that designation, all internal school operations resumed as normal, but outdoor activities remained restricted.

All affected schools — including Evergreen Elementary, Lorna Byrne Middle School, Illinois Valley High School, and the Southern Oregon Success Academy (SOSA) West CJ Campus — were expected to remain on secure status for the remainder of the school day. Deputies continued to maintain a presence at Illinois Valley campuses.

Parents and guardians were allowed to come to school grounds to be reunited with their students, but access inside school buildings was not permitted. Officials advised families to contact their child’s school directly to coordinate reunification.

Authorities did not immediately provide details about the nature of the threat or whether any suspects had been identified. No injuries were reported.

The investigation remains ongoing.