Shots Fired Call at Local School Turns Out to Be a Blown Transformer

Linn County Undersheriff Paul Timm reports his deputies responded to Mari-Linn Elementary School in Lyons, for a report of shots fired at 6:26 a.m., this morning. The caller reported hearing a gunshot and saw what she believed to be a muzzle flash just outside the school. There were only a few staff members at the school and children were just starting to arrive. Deputies responded along with Oregon State Police and began investigating the incident, when Pacific Power arrived to check on a blown transformer.

The transformer that blew was in the same location the caller said the “shots” came from. After further investigation, it was confirmed the transformer had made the loud noise and flashed, which is what the caller thought was a “muzzle flash”. Students were locked in a safe place as they arrived and there was no real threat to the school. The school was determined to be safe about an hour after the call was made.