Published: October 28, 2009 02:49 pm      

Update: Smith Middle School declared all clear

Remains under perimeter lock down

Cleburne ISD officials and police ordered Smith Middle School locked down on Wednesday following reports of a possible gun on the campus. Officials subsequently lightened the lock down to a perimeter-level lock down after police declared the building all clear.

“We are only utilizing perimeter lock down procedures so we can control and monitor exits in and out of classrooms and the building,” CISD Superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard said. “We have a number of parents trying to check their children out and this is a good way to maintain control of the situation.”

Although the school has been declared clear, police did not locate a gun, Sgt. Amy Knoll said. The identity of the student who reportedly had the gun remains unknown as well, Knoll said.

Police swept the campus Wednesday morning in search of the weapon with the aid of a K-9 patrol unit used to search lockers and non-classroom areas.

A school resource officer alerted additional CPD officers to the scene after two students reported that another student brought a weapon to school, said Lisa Magers, CISD spokeswoman.

Officials initially placed all CISD campuses on lock down as per district procedures, Magers said. They later released all but Smith and Gerard, which is nearby Smith, she said.

The search is taking time, Knoll said, as the students apparently didn’t know who the suspected student is.

Knoll stressed that there has been no reports of a shooting at the campus.

With clearance from police officers, school administrators coordinated the release of students, by classroom, to the cafeteria for lunch,” Magers said. Students then be returned to the classroom they were in when the lock down was implemented.

Beard met with about 30 parents waiting outside of the school, Magers said. Parents participating in the district’s Skyward Family Access program were notified of implementation of the lock down procedures by e-mail.

— Matt Smith