UPDATE 8:50PM: More information has been released regarding Wednesday's lockdown at Carson Middle School, which proved to be false after a 12-year-old boy confessed to cooking up a story about two students loading a black handgun in a restroom.
Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes and Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong explain the events and why all threats are taken seriously, especially those threats that involve violence and weapons. Carson Now spoke with the superintendent and, earlier, the sheriff regarding Wednesday's events. Go here to read the story.
UPDATE: 5:40PM: A 12-year-old Carson Middle School student faces a criminal charge after confessing that he made a story up about seeing two students with a gun, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong confirmed.
"Officers are en route to make an arrest. It will be for false reporting," said Furlong.
The school was put on lockdown at about 1:30 this afternoon after the student reported to school officials about seeing two students with a weapon. At least one other officer was on campus on an unrelated matter at the time the student went to school officials and assisted with administration as it put into place its lockdown procedure, Furlong said.
UPDATE 4:39PM: Parents cheered as they were reunited with their children today following a lockdown of Carson Middle School in Carson City that lasted for more than 2 hours. No one was injured and no weapons were found.
Following an extensive search of the school, including interviews with students believed to have had a weapon, authorities released children to their parents at around 3:45 p.m.
"All the students of interest were interviewed, including the student who made the original report and we've determined there was no weapon," said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong. "The process of responding was immediate and had to be contained in the way it did. It is a process of safety and procedure."
Student Zoe Stewart, a sixth grader, said she was sitting in her classroom and the teacher informed the class there was a lockdown.
"I thought it was practice. My teacher said it wasn't. I thought it was only going to take 10 minutes but after a while I got really worried because we didn't know what was going on," she said. Zoe said she texted her father to find out what was going on.
Zoe's mother, Toshia Pope, tearfully hugged her daughter as they reunited. "I'm just so happy this wasn't serious. I was so scared when I heard about it."
UPDATE 3:50pm
Carson City School District issues statement: "All students are being released at this time. Parents are welcome to pickup their student in the gym. I.D. is required to pick-up your student. Please use the front entrance to access the school. If your student walks to school, they will be released to walk home. Those students that ride buses, will be transported home."
UPDATE 3:41pm
Carson City School District website is experiencing high volume traffic and currently states:
http://www.carsoncityschools.com/home.shtml
Carson Middle School, "6th grade parents, teachers and students are being brought into the gym. At this time, they are being released through the front door, at CMS."
UPDATE 3:19pm:
Carson Middle School will be releasing students at back entrance of CARSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. Parents will be brought in secession, by grade level, according NHP Sgt. Todd Hartline.
Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes informed Carson Middle School parents that children are safe and unharmed and, will be released shortly. No weapon has been recovered at Carson Middle School. More than 400 middle school students remain inside. Hundred of parents are clogging the road.
Parent Monica Fitzgerald said her 12-year-old son, Manny, is inside. She had learned about the lockdown at work, and was scared about what she heard, and came down to pick him up.
Ashley Howell, also heard about the lockdown and immediately came down to make sure her 12-year-old brother, Dillon, was safe, "I'm very worried," she said.
UPDATE, 2:27pm:
Carson Middle School is on lockdown after a report of a student with a weapon on campus. No weapon has been found as of 2:27 p.m., and at this time, the report of the weapon remains unsubstantiated but all safety measures have been put into place, according to Carson City Sheriff's Office.
Officers are surrounding the school and a SWAT team has been dispatched. The incident was reported at around 1:30 p.m.
No one has been reported injured. Parents have been calling the Sheriff's Office asking after receiving texts from students.
The school has implemented lockdown and all the students inside are safe, according to the sheriff's office.
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PRESS RELEASE: Nevada Highway Patrol
Northern Command West
555 Wright Way
Carson City, Nevada 89712
May 29, 2013
Media Advisory:
Alleged Weapon Sighting at Carson Middle School
The Nevada Highway Patrol were dispatched to Carson Middle School to assist Carson City Sheriffs Office for an alleged weapon in middle school. The school is had been locked down and students and faculty are waiting to evacuated to Borderwich Bray Elementary located at Thompson and King st.
This is a precautionary measure and more detail will be given as they are known.
Nevada Highway Patrol is asking all media to stage at Musser street east of Winters street.
Any information regrading this incident please call out dispatch center at (775)687-0400
Trooper Barb Stapleton
Public Affairs Coodinator
Nevada Highway Patrol-Headquarters
555 Wright Way, Carson City NV 89712
(775)684-4485 (775) 434-9224
bstapleton@dps.state.nv.us