Full Notification

This evening, SMPD officers responded to the report of an “active shooter” at the College of San Mateo. Multiple people reported seeing armed subjects and heard people screaming. SMPD Officers responded immediately, all while making efforts to determine whether the police academy was in session and if this report could perhaps be a training exercise. The academy was not in session. Officers ultimately located several law enforcement agencies conducting a training exercise. 

Appropriate notifications had not been made and our agency was not made aware of outside agencies using the campus for training. While glad to learn this was not an active threat, our department responded in force and took appropriate actions immediately. We train for these responses regularly and our community should feel we are prepared to respond.