Claim of an armed man on an elementary campus determined to be unfounded
PHIL CAMPBELL — Law enforcement scoured several hours of video footage Thursday morning looking for a person wearing all black and carrying a gun, only to find that the story two elementary students told to teachers and administrators was false.
The elementary school was placed under heightened awareness status at the beginning of the school day after the students approached the teachers saying there was a man wearing all black with a gun on campus, according to Police Chief Jessica Clemments.
Police, members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the school resource officer responded after being contacted by school officials.
“We have walked and searched the property and no one is around that shouldn’t be,” Clemments told the TimesDaily Thursday morning.
Heightened awareness means an unusual situation may exist, according to the Franklin County Schools Handbook. “Instruction will continue but the system/school will be instructed to report any suspicious or unusual activity.”
The elementary school posted a statement on its social media page saying that officials had “secured the perimeter.”
“Everything is safe and we are taking all precautions. No other actions are needed at this time,” the school stated.
A couple hours later, Clemments said all camera footage had been reviewed and there was no such man on campus at the time.
After viewing the video footage to determine there was no such threat, the school was taken off its heightened awareness status.
“Everything is back to normal and back to standard operating procedure,” Franklin County Schools Superintendent Greg Hamilton told the TimesDaily before noon Thursday.
As for the students who made the claim, the TimesDaily asked if there will be any disciplinary measures taken.
Hamilton said he couldn’t “discuss specifics concerning the students.”
