Man with gun prompts brief lockout at Redmond HS
(Update: Redmond Proficiency Academy also was in lockout; threat-related closure ends at Lake County SD after 3 days)
A man seen open-carrying a handgun in a holster and walking down the street near Redmond High School prompted a brief, precautionary lockout at three area schools Thursday morning, officials said.
An email sent to parents said that Redmond police had received a report of a ” possible unsafe individual in the Sam Johnson Park area ” and asked the school to go into a lockout.
Redmond police Officer Allen Speck said a man who appeared to be open-carrying a handgun in a holster on his hip was walking southbound on Southwest Rimrock Way, across the street from the school.
Officers searched the area after the report was called in, Speck said, but he was no longer in the area.
” He didn’t do anything with the weapon to indicate he was a threat or anything, ” Speck said. ” It’s everybody just trying to be careful and make sure the kids are safe. ”
The high school and Redmond Early Learning Center were called into lockout at 9:07 a.m., Redmond School District spokeswoman Kelly Jenkins said. RELC was released from lockout at 9:37 a.m. and Redmond HS at 9:52 a.m., she added.
Redmond Proficiency Academy also placed its middle school campus on SW 25th Street under lockout, officials said.
During a school lockout, classes continue as usual, but all exterior doors are locked, and no parents are allowed in or out of the building. It is a less severe situation than a lockdown, in which interior doors also are locked and students and staff remain in their locations until the situation is resolved.
” We returned to normal school operations after Redmond Police Department informed us that it was safe to do so, ” the letter to parents stated, adding, ” We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to keep all students and staff members safe. ”
Meanwhile, schools in Lake County School District No. 7, closed since Monday due to an online threat, reopened Thursday as officials said law enforcement had “addressed the threat.”
KTVZ 2019
