Sixteen officers searched Montgomery High School after reports of a knife and possible gun, but police said no firearm was found.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Reports of weapons during a student fight brought 16 police officers to Montgomery High School and sent the campus into lockdown Tuesday before authorities determined there was no continuing threat and no evidence that a firearm had been involved.
The response began at about 1:10 p.m. Oct. 20, when Santa Rosa police received multiple reports of a physical altercation involving students at the Hahman Drive campus. Police said initial information indicated that a knife had been displayed. Officers also received unconfirmed information suggesting a gun might be present, prompting a significant response while school officials placed the campus on lockdown.
Officers searched the school, identified students connected to the fight and reviewed video as they worked to determine whether an armed threat remained on campus. Police ultimately found no firearm and said investigators had uncovered no evidence that a gun was involved. A knife was recovered after officers located a 15-year-old student who police said had left the campus before they arrived.
Investigators said the teenager displayed the knife and advanced toward another student during the confrontation. A school employee stepped between them, stopping the teenager from moving farther toward the other student. The 15-year-old then fled the school, according to police.
Officers found the teenager hiding behind a residence on Rock Creek Drive across from the campus. A large fixed-blade knife with a blade measuring about 4 inches was recovered nearby. Police said they believe it was the knife displayed during the fight.
Several students suffered minor injuries during the confrontation and were treated at the scene, police said. One student was taken to a hospital with injuries to the face and hand. No additional information about that student’s condition was released.
Police said initial information indicated the fight might have been gang-related. The department’s Gang Crimes Team is continuing the investigation, and authorities had not announced a final finding about the cause of the fight as of Thursday.
The lockdown was lifted shortly after 1:55 p.m., once officers concluded there was no continuing danger on campus. Middle school students were released to parents and guardians before high school students were dismissed, with police officers assisting school officials during the process.
The investigation resulted in the arrests of seven boys between the ages of 14 and 16. Police said each was arrested on suspicion of battery on school grounds. The 15-year-old accused of displaying the knife was also arrested on suspicion of brandishing a weapon and possessing a weapon on school grounds. Their names were withheld because they are juveniles.
The arrests remain allegations and do not establish guilt. Police said the investigation is continuing as detectives seek additional information about the students involved, the events leading to the fight and whether gang activity played a role.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 22, 2026.