Elton Gregory student with knife detained, lockdown ends

(Update: Email sent to parents; some concerned about lack of quicker notice)

Redmond’s Elton Gregory Middle School was briefly placed under lockdown Wednesday morning until police detained a student who was using a knife to carve into a wall and bench, officers said.

Police were dispatched to the school around 10:40 a.m. to respond to a report of a student using a knife to carve into a wall and bench, Lt. Curtis Chambers said.

Under school safety procedures, the school was immediately put into lockdown, meaning all doors were locked and students and staff remained in place. Chambers said a lockdown occurs when any level of threat or potential threat happens inside a school.

Officers detained and removed the student from school property, the lieutenant said. School officials said the lockdown lasted about 15 minutes.

The student was taken to St. Charles Redmond for evaluation. Chambers said any criminal charges are pending the results of a medical evaluation.

“Student safety in schools is a top priority for the Redmond Police Department and the Redmond School District,” Chambers said in a news release, “and the community should feel confident in our partnership in maintaining school safety.”

An email was sent to parents after the incident, which reads:

” Elton Gregory Families,

” We are writing you today to inform you that our school went into lockdown for approximately 15 minutes this morning in partnership with Redmond Police Department.

” It came to our attention that a student was in possession of a knife while on campus. In order to ensure the safety of our students and staff members we placed the school on lockdown. Redmond Police Department successfully identified the suspected student and has the student in their custody. No students or staff members were injured or harmed. Redmond Police will conduct an investigation in partnership with our school.

” A lockdown occurs when a threat happens inside of the school facility. When this happens our school and classroom doors lock, lights are turned off and students are asked to remain quiet while the threat is addressed by law enforcement. We train on a regular basis with students and staff using the I Love U Guys Foundation Standard Response Protocol.

” We are thankful for the swift action of the Redmond Police Department and our students and staff during today’s event. If you have questions about today’s lockdown or our emergency response protocols, I welcome you to contact us at 541-526-6440.

” Thank you for your time and your support in making our school a safe and welcoming environment for all students and staff. ”

Some parents said they feel the school should have informed them on the lockdown sooner.

One mother of an eight-grader said her son called her frantically during lunch, informing her of a rumored gun on campus. Laura Hendrix said she immediately went to the school to check her son out, but parents were not given more notice until an hour after she called and picked her son up from school.

” It’s very frustrating. I pull up to the school and there are police cars everywhere, ” Hendrix said. ” It’s frustrating, I understand there is protocol. I get that, they can’t take the time to notify us immediately because they are trying to keep my child safe, so I get it. It is frustrating.

” Had I known it wasn’t a gun, and that it was a knife, maybe things would’ve been different. I wouldn’t have flown frantically to the school. ”

No one on the campus was hurt.

The student with the knife was taken to St. Charles Redmond for evaluation. Redmond police said any potential criminal charges depends on the results of that evaluation.