Call about a gun prompts Lowellville school lockdown

STAFF REPORT

LOWELLVILLE — Pupils at the middle and high schools were locked in classrooms for nearly three hours after a call that a gun was in the building.

Around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, television station WKBN TV-27 received a call that a pupil had brought a gun into the village’s combined seventh-through-12th-grade building, Lowellville Police Chief William Vance said.

He said the caller, who did not leave a name or number, asked someone at the station why there was no response by police, or the media, regarding the weapon.

Soon after, WKBN called the school and the message was relayed to authorities. That’s when Vance ordered an immediate lockdown of the school, requiring pupils to remain in their classrooms with the lights off.

During the lockdown, Vance and other officials with the department searched lockers, classrooms and even student vehicles, though no weapon was found. Vance said pupils were released from the classrooms around 12:30 p.m., and returned to their class schedules.

Vance said authorities are following a tip on the caller of the gun threat. He said that although the person did not state that violence would be committed, the department is required to take action when there is mention of a weapon.

No panic was reported during the lockdown, Vance said.