South Davidson goes on lockdown after students make false report of armed intruder
South Davidson Middle and High School went on lock down for a short while on Wednesday after a group of students made a false report of an armed intruder on campus.
According to information provided by the Davidson County School system, at approximately 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning a group of three middle school students allegedly stated to a staff member there was an armed intruder on campus. The staff member immediately relayed the information to school administrators and law enforcement.
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In response to this information, Davidson County Sheriff’s Department responded to the school and students and staff went into a shelter-in-place order for both the middle and high school buildings to maintain the security of the campus.
After ensuring there was not active threat, an investigation by law enforcement determined the report of an armed intruder was false and may have been an attempt to protect another student who had brought an airsoft gun with them to school.
"It was determined that this false claim may have been made to divert attention away from one of the reporting students who did in fact bring an airsoft pistol to school today. There was no evidence that the student had plans to do any harm with the airsoft pistol and the student had not threatened anyone. Inexplicably, the students decided to make the false claim that there was another person on campus with a firearm,” said a statement from Davidson County Schools.
The shelter-in-place order for the school was lifted after about 45 minutes.
The incident is currently under investigation by law enforcement and appropriate consequences will be administered. Law enforcement could not confirm whether the juvenile students will face any criminal charges.
Representatives with the school district stated the students will face mandatory disciplinary actions for making a false report causing the lockdown, as well as for bringing a weapon-like object on campus.
"Davidson County Schools will not tolerate behavior that causes fear in others, places others in harm's way, and interrupts the learning environment...It is frustrating that today's event caused the students, staff, and community such unnecessary concern,” said the statement from Davidson County Schools.
This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: South Davidson goes on lockdown after students report armed intruder
