Estancia High goes on brief lockdown after expelled student is seen on campus

Estancia High School was placed under a brief lockdown Wednesday morning after receiving reports that an expelled student was on campus, possibly with a knife.

Costa Mesa police were informed of the incident around 11:30 a.m. Officers searched the campus and were unable to find the student, said Lt. Greg Scott.

The lockdown was lifted around 1 p.m.

Officers later found the student, described as a 17-year-old boy, at his Santa Ana home, where they determined he was on campus earlier Wednesday.

Police could not confirm whether he made any type of threat while at Estancia or if he had a knife at the time, Scott said.

The teenager was given a trespassing advisement, effectively barring him from returning to the school, Scott said. He added that Estancia staff are in the process of obtaining a restraining order restricting the student from being on campus.

Scott said the boy had been involved in a recent dispute with a current Estancia student.

No criminal charges are being pursued based on police’s preliminary investigation.

Principal Michael Halt, in an email blast sent to Estancia parents just after 1 p.m., added that the Police Department advised Estancia staff to have all students take shelter inside classrooms.

“Because the safety and security of our students and our staff is our top priority, we reacted with an over abundance of caution to ensure [a] secure environment,” Halt wrote.

Estancia parents also received a phone call with information about the lockdown.