Lockdown Of West Atlanta High School Lifted After Handgun Recovered

Surrounded by multiple police cruisers, APS chief of security Marquenta Sands reiterated the protocol worked. A student tipped off an administrator a gun was on campus, the administrator informed APS, and the school was immediately locked down.

“We were on top of it. We have recovered the handgun. All of our students, staff are safe. Everybody’s been fed. And so, with the exception of that handgun being on campus today, it was another great day for Atlanta Public Schools,” said Sands.

But the lockdown, which lasted from about 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., sent many parents into a panic. Robin Tillman, the mother of a ninth grader at the school, stood for hours on a sidewalk waiting for an update. She says other parents and a school official told her metal detectors weren’t working in the morning.

“Where is that acceptable? Can you go into any government building and there’s no metal detectors? Are you kidding me? I’m not bringing him back tomorrow. The building is not secure so why would I send him back,” said Tillman.

School officials declined comment about the metal detectors. Atlanta police are still investigating how and why the gun made into the school.

Update 4:00 p.m. — Atlanta Public Schools has released a statement about the lockdown situation:

At approximately 11:30 a.m., Atlanta Public Schools administrators received information about a possible gun on campus. The school immediately followed lockdown procedures. Just before 3 p.m., Principal Dr. Tony Burks III, made the announcement over the intercom system that the campus was released from lockdown status.

During the incident, Atlanta Public Schools Safety and Security Department, the Atlanta Police Department,

and other law enforcement agencies performed a thorough search of the campus. A weapon was recovered and two students were detained. The Atlanta Police Department is currently investigating the incident.

 

Students, faculty and staff remained safe on the campus during this incident.

We have learned from the Atlanta Public Schools that Frederick Douglass High School on the west side of Atlanta is currently on lockdown.

Everyone at the school is safe, but APS said school administrators received information about a possible gun on campus.

The campus is on lockdown while the campus is being searched.  All parents and guardians have been contacted via email and robo-call. 

We hope to have more information on this unfolding situation soon.