SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A lockdown at two Scottsdale schools is now lifted after police investigated a reported person with a gun on one of the school's campuses, the city's police department said.
The lockdown went into effect after a student at Cactus Shadows High School told an on-site school resource officer that they saw another school-aged male carry a revolver in the campus parking lot, a spokesperson with the police department said. The alleged school-aged man was also wearing dark clothing and walking with a limp.
An initial search of the campus didn't find any suspects, police said. School security cameras did not show any evidence of a subject matching that description.
The high school and the neighboring Black Mountain Elementary went into lockdown as police searched the campuses. The two lockdowns were lifted around 10 a.m. Friday. No students were injured, police said.
Parents lined the street outside of Cactus Shadows High School as police searched the campus, many saying they were communicating with their students inside.
“From my parental aspect, I mean, I don’t think there’s a worst call or a text that you can get,” Cactus Shadows parent David Johnson said.
“There’s just this adrenaline that comes through you as a parent where I want to be in there – I know exactly where my daughter’s class is, it’s right there beyond those flags, and it’s hard not to just go walk in there and grab her,” parent Amber Daczka said.
Students inside say they thought it was a drill until their teachers were told otherwise.
“Teachers got emails that this was real, so we were kind of scared, you know, but kind of just sat in the back,” Benjamin Reik, a freshman, said.
When parents were able to be reunited with their children, they reflected how while they’ve seen this kind of scene play out on TV across the country, it’s different when it’s their kid inside the school.
“It’s scary,” Brian Reik said. “Just a million emotions. I’m just so happy to bring him home safely.”
As they recognized how different the situation could have been.
“Doctor’s appointments and class can wait another day, just enjoy your loved ones,” Daczka said.
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