HURON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Huron Township police say it was an airsoft gun found in a backpack that prompted a lockdown and a massive police response Tuesday (May 17) morning at Summit Academy North.
Police say they received the call a little before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the school was immediately put on lockdown.
“We got a text message, and we immediately dashed up here,” said Laura Hannum-Florence. “We’re going to pray. I called my mom and had her prayer chain and got everybody on the prayer chain right away.”
Like grandmother Hannum-Florence, parents relied on prayers when Summit Academy went on lockdown Tuesday morning.
“We said, ‘Lord Jesus, protect these kids,” Hannum-Florence said.
Hannum-Florence said prayer is the only natural thing to do in moments and situations such as this, as it is only natural to think the worst.
“I didn’t think anything but protect these kids,” Hannum-Florence said.
There was quite a stir which was why the school went on lockdown. Officials say a teacher called the lockdown herself after a backpack was left behind in a room, and it did not look right to her.
“The teacher picked up the bag, opened it immediately, and called the lockdown,” said Summit Academy North Superintendent Leann Hedke.
The teacher called the school liaison officer, who radioed for all units on duty to rush to the school.
When officials arrived, they found an airsoft gun in the backpack, but it can look very realistic at times.
“It wasn’t for show and tell,” said Huron Township Police Chief Everette Robbins. “It was certainly for some type of attention, and I don’t know what that was, but luckily for all of us, it wasn’t a real weapon and the students were never in danger.”
This Huron school district and police department train for situations like this, and Tuesday was their first test.
“I give a lot of kudos to the school district here,” Robbins said. “They do a lot of training long before the Oxford High School incident. “We all know what happened and the heightened level it put everyone at, but this school district went above and beyond before Oxford.”
Officials say that an 18-year-student was taken into custody. Police say narcotics were found in the backpack as well.
