Alarm malfunction sends Gaston County school into lockdown

BELMONT, N.C. (WBTV) - A Gaston County school went on lockdown after an alarm malfunctioned, law enforcement said.

An alarm went off at South Point High School in Belmont around 8:22 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18, prompting the school to go under lockdown. Within half an hour, police from Belmont, Belmont Abbey, and Gaston County had cleared the school and confirmed there was no threat.

Lockdowns were reported in area schools throughout the week up to this point, with an active shooter hoax at Crest High School in Shelby on Monday, and a fake gun used during a “Senior Assassin” game near South Iredell High School.

Police said they would work with the Gaston County Schools district officials to find out what caused the alarm to malfunction and prevent the same thing from happening again.