Approximately 2,500 students and staff were evacuated as a precaution due to a bomb threat at the Christopher Columbus Campus.

The threat sent via a group chat triggered a major emergency response. At around noon, students appeared to be returning inside.

A New York City Public Schools spokesperson said in a statement that the threat was deemed unfounded.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. NYPD quickly investigated this threat, deemed it unfounded, and everyone is safe.”

The NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit (ESU) and a K-9 unit responded to the scene.

The bomb squad was also deployed to investigate the threat. No injuries have been reported.

The campus, located at 925 Astor Ave., includes five schools - The Collegiate Institute for Math and Science (CIMS), Bronxdale High School, Astor Collegiate Academy, the High School for Language and Innovation and Pelham Preparatory Academy.

Students who spoke with News 12 said they were concerned they didn't have phones and couldn't contact their parents. The phones were inside the school due to New York's bell-to-bell phone ban.

Sources say that part of the distraction-free policy published by each school district states that the law requires schools to give parents a way to contact their kids during the day when necessary.

When previously asked about how the phone-ban could impact in-school emergencies, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, "police commissioners, sheriffs, district attorneys have all told me that if there's a crisis on campus, the last thing you want is that child to be fumbling for a cellphone, maybe videoing it, calling mom and dad, they'll be overheard."