Adrian Hedden | Artesia Daily Press

Editors note: Stay with the Artesia Daily Press for updates as information is made available.

Artesia High School was temporarily placed on a “shelter in place” order by local police Tuesday afternoon after authorities said they were investigating a potential shooting threat.

No credible threat was yet found as of about 3 p.m., according to a Facebook post by the Artesia Police Department, and students at the high school were sent home early.

The order was made after an unknown person called the high school via telephone and said there would be a school shooting today, said Commander Pete Quinoes with the Artesia Police Department.

He said the caller did not give a specific time or location, and that police were working to identify the person who made the call.

Investigators were notified of the possible threat at about 1:15 p.m. by a school resource officer and gave the shelter in place order “out of an abundance of precaution.”

Shelter in place means students and staff within school buildings were asked to stay in their classrooms and not move around campuses.

The incident was being investigated by the Artesia Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division along with school resource officers, the post read.

At least one officer was deployed to each school in the district, police said.

An alert sent out at 1:53 p.m. to parents of students in the district said classes were proceeding as normal, but that entrances to each school were secured amid the potential threat.

“At this time, there is no confirmed or credible threat, and the investigation is ongoing,” read a statement from the police department posted on Facebook at about 2 p.m. “The safety of students, staff, and the community remains our highest priority.”