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ST. GEORGE — Two men who started a scare after asking about local elementary schools have been questioned by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
As of Wednesday, investigators say neither man has been arrested, though the investigation is continuing.
However, Jon Lines, assistant special agent in charge for Homeland Security, said the men, who live in southern California, do have ties to the St. George area.
"They had a justifiable reason for being in St. George. It wasn't out of the ordinary," he said. "We have no reason to believe there was anything to be concerned about in St. George as far as any imminent harm."
But Lines said he could not disclose Wednesday exactly what the men's reasoning was for going inside Coral Cliffs Elementary School and inquiring about the addresses of all the other schools in the city.
And, he said, the men were not completely cleared, as investigators would continue "looking deeper" into the their backgrounds.
On Monday, the two men walked into Paula’s Restaurant, 745 Ridgeview Drive, and asked for the locations and addresses of area schools. They left without eating anything.
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2 men worry St. George residents by asking about schools, police say
Two men caused a small scare in St. George on Monday and Tuesday after reportedly asking about the area's elementary schools.The men, described as being of Middle Eastern descent, wore long-sleeved shirts, gloves and sunglasses, though the temperature was over 100 degrees. A restaurant employee directed the men to Coral Cliffs Elementary School, 2040 W. 2000 North, but then called police after thinking their actions were suspicious.
At the elementary school, the men again asked for the addresses of other elementary schools in the area. But they wouldn't say why they wanted the information. School employees told them they could look up that information online themselves.
The incident sent a scare through St. George, fueled by speculative comments on social media by concerned parents. As a precaution, extra police officers were at the elementary schools Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, with officers also making extra patrols past the school during the day.
By Tuesday afternoon, the men were located in southern California.
Even though no one was arrested, Lines praised St. George residents for reporting the suspicious activity and encouraged other members of the public to do the same in similar situations. He said it's better to be cautious and let authorities figure out if a threat is real.
"Let us get to the bottom of it. Never say you have no reason to be alarmed," he said. "We're very glad there were people who alerted us."
