A Jacksonville elementary school was placed on soft-lock down for a short time today after a report of a possible armed individual being nearby.
According to a press release by Jacksonville Police Commander Doug Thompson, at approximately 12:00 noon Thursday, police responded to the vicinity of Washington Elementary School, located at 524 South Kosciusko Street.
Thompson says officers were alerted that there was a male subject walking with a firearm near the school. “The school did not indicate that there was any threat to anyone at the school or on the school grounds. Just that they observed him walking with what appeared to be a long gun.
Responding officers were able to locate someone in the area who did have what appeared to be a long gun on them. That turned out to be a BB gun and just due to the nature of what the school was reporting, they went on soft lockdown on their own accord and not at our request.”
Thompson says once they were able to identify the individual and confirm that it was not a real firearm, police notified the school so they could take the appropriate measures on their end, and the soft lockdown was lifted soon thereafter.
No one was injured and no citations were issued.