Possible school shooting attack stopped at Northern California high school via Sandy Hook Promise tip line
Thanks to a single voice speaking up, a possible school shooting was prevented.
Police in Menlo-Atherton received a tip from its "Say Something" tip line on Sept. 10 that indicated a former student at an area high school had posted concerning content to Instagram referencing the high school.
Police locked down the Menlo-Atherton High School campus in addition to a nearby middle school for an hour until the student was located and weapons were recovered from the home. The investigation is ongoing, police say.
A mother is making it her life's mission to prevent tragedy. Nicole Hockley's son Dylan was one of 20 children killed in 2012 at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting . Hockley co-founded the nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise.
A free resource that teaches students how to recognize warning signs of violence and offers an anonymous reporting system.
"Every time we avert another act of violence, every time we avert another planned school shooting attack, I know that is one more community that is not going to experience what I have," Hockley said.
On Monday, the organization announced they helped stop a potential school attack within the Sequoia Union High School District out of Redwood City, California.
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"What we know is that a student saw a concerning post on a friend's Instagram feed and reported it to our anonymous reporting system manned at our crisis center down in Miami," Hockley said.
The posts included images of firearms, ammunition and a mapped-out plan for attacking the school.
Law enforcement later detained the student and recovered weapons from their home.
The organization said the Menlo-Atherton incident is the 19th "credible planned" school attack nationwide" the system has prevented since its launch in 2018. About 5,000 school districts partner with the organization and tips are accepted via a mobile app, text, phone, or through a website.
"It is an example of one voice making a significant difference to a community and we really applaud that student for raising the alarm bells saying this is really concerning I think this person is planning to do something they need help," Hockley said.
The district's superintendent released the following statement:
"Nothing is more important to us than keeping our students and staff safe. In the wake of violence at other schools around the country, we take our responsibility to put prevention measures in place extremely seriously. Sandy Hook Promise has been a vital partner in helping our students and staff recognize warning signs of potential violence. We are grateful that Sandy Hook's Say Something Anonymous Reporting system made swift action by local law enforcement and school administrators possible when a member of our community reported a potential threat against one of our schools recently. As a result of this program, we were able to keep students and staff safe."
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Since its launch in 2018, the organization's anonymous reporting system has stopped at least 19 credible planned school attacks nationwide.
"At a time when so many of us feel powerless of the epidemic of gun violence, or the epidemic of youth violence, this is proof that prevention works," Hockley said.
KGO asked Hockley what fuels her work.
"This is what keeps me going, the love that I have for my surviving child and child that died - Dylan - but also knowing that we can create a safer future," Hockley said.
The incident took place on the same day as a mass shooting in Evergreen, Colorado, where a 16-year-old shooter shot two students and then himself. The two students were in critical condition afterward. The school reopened this week for classes.
Hockley said they receive at least 200 tips a day from kids across the country.
School districts can partner with Sandy Hook Promise for free. Hockley encourages schools to visit their website .
ABC News contributed to this report.
