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By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - Pike County Times was notified that a letter went out from Pike County Elementary School yesterday regarding an incident that took place that prompted the school to go into soft lockdown. Pike County Times asked some questions and was given an update on the situation today.
The letter to parents states that around 1:22 p.m. yesterday, students on the playground saw three students ranging from approximately 5 to 12 years of age in the woods outside of the playground fence. Some of the students said that they saw what appeared to be a knife on the waist of one kid’s jeans and that the younger kid had a toy gun.
Students reported this to the teacher who notified school administrators. Classes on the playground were moved into the building immediately, and school resource officers were notified. According to school system procedures, the elementary and high school were placed in soft lockdown while these deputies were searching for these children.
All students were accounted for and moved inside of buildings and outside access points were checked and secured according to soft lockdown procedures. Classroom activities continued during this time.
“At no point during the event were students or adults in the school in danger,” said Melissa Smith, Principal of Pike County Elementary School, in the letter sent home to parents.
These children ages 5, 7, and 12 years of age were quickly located by the school resource officers. No weapons were on the children when there were found. There was a sheath for a knife on one child but it did not have a knife in it, and there was no toy gun with the children when deputies found them.
School resource officers found that the children, who live nearby, were supposed to be at home and weren’t.
Superintendent Michael Duncan praised these school resource officers for their response to this incident and also said, “Our processes worked and we are pleased with the team effort. Disruptions such as this will result in the maximum discipline allowed by policy and statute.”