BARTLETT, Tenn. — Parents started taking their students out of school when they heard about the lockdown at Bartlett High School Thursday, but some told WREG they don’t like the way the situation was handled.
“You think about Sandy Hook and colleges and these are your kids. Scary. I’m just glad nothing happened and he’s safe.”
Paula Csap pulled her son out of Bartlett High after receiving a text message from him before about the possibility of a weapon on campus.
Csap said the district sent out an automated alert around 10:30 this morning telling parents about the lockdown incident.
“And of course, Bartlett Police were here and they did a lockdown, and they said after checking everything they didn’t find a weapon.”
Students said they were confused because initially they were told it was a drill.
“We were in third period and an announcer came on and said we were going to have a drill and everybody thought it was normal. It’s usually only two minutes long and we’re sitting there. It got to a 10 minute mark and we’re like what’s going on?” said student Nichols Beard.
Originally the district told WREG the lockdown was a drill and there were no concerns.
We asked a spokesperson about this during a press conference.
“We just make an announcement on the intercom. It’s not like a fire alarm where there’s an audible signal, we just make an announcement,” said Lee Ann Knight with Bartlett City Schools.
Once officers determined there wasn’t a weapon on campus, students returned to class.
However, a young person was found with a weapon nearby.
Police refuse to confirm the type of weapon.
“A non-student juvenile was taken into custody several blocks away outside the city limits of Bartlett on a weapons charge,” Captain Tina Schaber with the Police Department told WREG.
Students took to twitter when the lock down was announced.