'I'm scared': Gun found inside locker prompts lockdown at Philadelphia charter school
Gun found inside locker prompts lockdown at Philadelphia charter school
Students and parents were shaken after police reportedly found a gun inside a students locker Monday. Police searched the locker at Master Hardy Williams Charter School in search of narcotics when the allegedly found the firearm. A student was detained and the lockdown ended safely.
PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia junior high school was placed on lockdown Monday after police allegedly found a gun inside a student's locker.
Police responded to Hardy Williams Charter School in the city's Kingsessing neighborhood around 9 a.m. and searched the locker for suspicion of narcotics, authorities said.
Officers instead found a gun inside the locker, according to police, and immediately placed the school on lockdown just after 10 a.m.
"They didn’t tell us what we were on lockdown for, we were just sitting there, you know we didn’t know if other students got a gun," Kareem Jackson told FOX 29.
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Authorities say a student was detained as K-9 units helped clear the building to safely lift the lockdown.
Some parents who received an alert about the lockdown came to the school to pick up their children when police deemed the building safe.
"I'm scared because now they're bringing the weapons inside the school," Shuquita Hicks, a parent, said.
Hardy Williams Charter School does not have metal detectors positioned at the entrance of the building, like other Philadelphia schools.
Parents and students believe metal detectors should be installed to help prevent weapons from entering the school.
"If somebody’s capable bring your gun to school without being stopped, what else can they bring," Kareem said. "It could be five kids with guns, and we’re just sitting there."