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Sam Penrod, Randall Jeppeson, and Mary Richards reportingParents and students at Lehi Junior High faced some scary moments this morning. The school was put into lockdown after the report of a man with a rifle in the area, prompting a SWAT team search that lasted for hours. Now it seems to have been a big mis-understanding, but this morning it was a serious situation.
It began when an 18-year old man was seen with a shotgun in the same neighborhood as the school. Someone was alarmed and called 911. Police did not want to take any chances so for the next three and a half hours parents were on edge, waiting for news of their children.
The school day was just beginning at Lehi Junior High when word of a man with a gun in the area prompted police and school leaders to go into lockdown mode.
Logan Nielson, Seventh Grader: "They were saying, 'go to the auditorium, go to the auditorium,' so I went there and was talking to people and said, 'What's going on?' And they were saying, 'It's the lockdown,' and I thought it was a drill."
It was not a drill as police and SWAT officers surrounded the school and went room to room looking for a weapon or gunman. Logan's mom waited outside the school to make sure he was okay and finally got through to him through a friend's cell phone.
Misty Nielson, Parent: "I just told him to do what they say and sit down and be good."
Many parents exchanged text messages or got a call from their children about what was going on.
Rose Klingonsmith, Parent: "Emily called me crying saying, 'We're in lockdown in the auditorium, what do I do?' You could hear the other kids around her making lots of noise, didn't sound really positive; and just told her that I loved her very much and stay still, stay where you are at."
Police later determined what caused all of this,was an 18-year old man taking his shotgun to a friend's house, to get ready for tomorrow's pheasant hunt. He had wrapped it in a blanket, which, to the citizen who called 911, looked suspicious. That prompted a disruption to the school day and had students feeling uneasy for a time.
Logan Nielson, Seventh Grader: "It was pretty scary until you knew what was going on. I felt really safe because there were a ton of cops and stuff."
While parents were concerned, most of them were glad to see a strong police presence and effort to make sure the students were safe.
Misty Nielson, Parent: "I'm glad to see that the officers take it serious and that they are thorough and making sure the job is done and the kids are safe."
Police do not plan to pursue any charges against the man with the gun, although they say it was a bad idea to carry the gun around the way he did.
When the all clear was given, the school allowed parents to pick up their children early and most students were gone by noon.
