Police in Goldach evacuate 300 students and staff after gunfire reports

Rapid police mobilization at Wartegg school

Officers from the St. Gallen cantonal police deployed in large numbers to the Oberstufenzentrum Wartegg school in Goldach on Friday evening, 4 September 2026. The emergency operation commenced shortly after 22:00 following several emergency calls placed to the cantonal dispatch and operations centre. First responders and specialized tactical units equipped with night-vision devices secured the immediate perimeter around the educational complex. Witnesses in the area reported hearing the sound of several gunshots, while separate initial reports indicated that a man armed with a knife had been observed near the building. Police spokeswoman Natascha Scherrer confirmed that a substantial police contingent was on site to manage the situation and conduct an active manhunt in the surrounding area. The intervention coincided with an ongoing municipal festival in the village of Goldach, creating additional foot traffic and logistical complexity in the surrounding streets.

Evacuation of students and staff

The police response disrupted a student party that was underway inside the secondary school facility on Friday night. As a protective measure, law enforcement personnel gathered approximately 300 students and teaching staff inside designated rooms within the Wartegg school building. Police officers provided continuous care and supervision to all individuals sheltered inside while tactical teams checked the structure and confirmed interior safety. The cantonal police subsequently organized an orderly, accompanied evacuation to ensure that all 300 attendees could exit the premises under protective escort and return safely to their homes. Officers established security checkpoints at key access routes around the campus to coordinate the movement of evacuees away from the site.

Verification of emergency reports

The St. Gallen cantonal police published an official statement around 22:30 confirming that a broad security operation remained underway in the municipality. Authorities reported that no injuries had occurred among students, teachers, or emergency personnel during the incident and the subsequent evacuation. The police control centre received multiple distinct emergency alerts throughout the evening, prompting investigators to open an immediate verification process to determine the validity of each claim. Although initial witness accounts mentioned gunfire, a police media spokesperson stated upon inquiry that no shots had actually been fired. Police officials stated that additional public updates would be released once investigating teams verified the precise circumstances that triggered the emergency response.

School instructions and community impact

School authorities initiated emergency communications with families as soon as the police contingent arrived on the campus grounds. School officials instructed parents not to travel to the Oberstufenzentrum, asking them to keep the roads clear for incoming police and emergency vehicles. Local residents described the atmosphere in the neighbourhood as confusing because the school party coincided with the nearby Goldach village festival. Police officers carried out widespread checks across the surrounding neighbourhood to verify potential threats while maintaining an active presence near public gathering areas. Cantonal police continued their operational and investigative measures late into Friday night to establish how the reports of weapons originated.