On Monday, April 26, 2021 at 11:30 a.m., Longmont Public Safety was called to a disturbance at Altona Middle School. A Longmont School Resource Officer heard the aired call over a school handset and responded to the school at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The student left the Altona Middle School Building, followed by the officer and school’s principal walking into a school parking lot where the student presented a knife.  All other Altona students outdoors were ushered into the school by staff. The distraught student then threatened officer and staff with a knife. Longmont Public Safety staff began working with Altona Middle School staff to de-escalate the situation. Longmont Public Safety CORE (Co-Responder) mental health crisis team arrived at 11:45 a.m.  

School personnel and Longmont Public Safety staff worked with the student in an attempt to de-escalate the situation for over an hour, while the student continued to display the knife and attempted to reenter the school. At 12:41 p.m., officers deployed a noise and flash diversionary device, as well as two less lethal impact munitions that did not strike the student. Neither tactic caused the student to drop the weapon. At 12:42 p.m., an officer intentionally opened the school door behind the student which caused the student to lose their balance, and another officer immediately disarmed the student.   

During this incident the lone student involved did not incur any serious injuries and no other students were involved or injured.  The school remained on “secure” status for approximately 80 minutes while law enforcement supervised the scene and provided support to the student involved. During “secure” status, students remain inside the school building and exterior doors and windows are locked and secured.  

The student was arrested and transported to Boulder County Juvenile Detention Center, pending charges.