Two Colfax schools briefly shelter in place after report of armed man near campus
Colfax Elementary School and Colfax High School had a large law enforcement presence Thursday afternoon due to reports of a suspicious man with a weapon nearby, authorities said.
School officials said all students are safe after a brief shelter-in-place.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office posted on X stating at 1:30 p.m. they received a report of a man with a possible gun near Colfax Elementary School. The Colfax school resource officer was on campus when the call was received, the social media post said.
Deputies did a search of the two schools and surrounding area, using drones and a California Highway Patrol helicopter. The officers confirmed that no armed individual was located on either campus or in the immediate area.
“All students and staff are safe and accounted for,” Colfax High School interim principal Trent Wilson said in a statement posted around 2 p.m. to Facebook.
Most students and staff have left the campus safely, authorities said in a 4 p.m. update.
“Deputies will continue patrolling the area and remain on campus until all students have been safely picked up,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Colfax City Councilmember Trinity Burruss wrote in a Facebook post that law enforcement shared that the weapon reported may have been an airsoft gun but said this information was “not verified.”
“Law enforcement will remain on scene during school pick-up to help ensure students and staff can leave safely,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote on X.
This story was originally published February 5, 2026 at 3:33 PM.
