Parents, students question response to reported threat, lockdown at Digital Harbor High

BALTIMORE -- Parents and students are questioning how officials handled a lockdown at Digital Harbor High School, which was prompted by a reported threat.

The lockdown was lifted just after 11 a.m. Wednesday when Baltimore City Public School said no weapon or threat was found.

District officials confirmed that students and staff are safe.

Baltimore City Schools Police told WJZ they weren't going to answer questions about the reported threat.

However, parents and students said a gun-related threat caused a chaotic morning at the school.

"When we came right here, up the street, we saw police blocked the road and I want to know what's going on," parent Donald Philippe said.

Students at Digital Harbor experienced fear and confusion.

"I don't know what's going on because I didn't get any answers," Philippe said.

Officers received a call for an armed person around 9:30 a.m., according to authorities.

"I'm getting a lot of calls," a police dispatcher said. "We have another one now. Her daughter text her and said a boy is armed with a gun. He's outside of the classroom and said they have locked the classrooms."

Students inside the school at the time told WJZ that someone announced a Code Red lockdown over the intercom system. 

Students said a Code Red means there is immediate danger and everyone inside the building must shelter in place.

"In a situation like this, we do not wait," a dispatcher said. "We need to respond. We need to find him."

Parents told WJZ they feel like school officials left them in the dark. 

"I just got an alert on citizen app," a parent said. "That's how I found out."

Parents told WJZ they weren't alerted by the school until hours after the lockdown began. 

"Help the students be safe," a parent said. "Let them know you're safe in this school. Right now, they're not safe. I shouldn't have a ninth-grader telling me they're scared of school."

The school continued once the lockdown was lifted, but students were allowed to leave school if a parent or guardian came to pick them up.

WJZ saw students leaving school without their parents.

He said he didn't feel safe being there.