Police Investigate Bomb Threat at South High School

Published on September 23, 2026

Shortly after 11:30 a.m. today, the Torrance Police Department Communications Center received a call reporting multiple bombs on the South High School campus. The caller hung up on dispatchers. Officers responded immediately, and a significant police presence remains at and around the school.

School administrators were notified and placed South High School on lockdown. Officers escorted pedestrians in the area to a safe distance and evacuated several nearby residences as a precaution. Because of its proximity to South High, Richardson Middle School has also taken precautionary measures.

Preliminary assessments by officers and the department's Real Time Response Center (RTRC) team have not found anything suspicious. Through mutual aid, police K-9 teams trained in explosive detection have arrived and begun a systematic sweep of the campus.

Parents arriving in the area are asked to park at the Ross parking lot on Pacific Coast Highway and wait there. Students will not be released until the campus has been fully searched and determined safe. Police and school officials are developing a plan to reunite students with their families and will share details as soon as they are finalized. It is not yet known whether students will be released by the normal dismissal time.

A Torrance Alert has been issued for police activity near Pacific Coast Highway and Calle Mayor. The public is asked to avoid the area.

This remains an active investigation and is expected to take some time to resolve safely. We will provide updates as more information becomes available (DR #260038385).