South Education Center In Richfield Placed On Lockdown After Student Found With Handgun
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A school in Richfield was placed on lockdown Friday after a student was found with a handgun.
According to the Richfield Police Department, students at the South Education Center reported to the school staff that they had seen another student with a gun.
The school was then placed on lockdown and the Richfield police were notified.
Officers found the student with a loaded handgun near the main entrance of the school. They took him into custody without incident.
"I want to express my gratitude to the SEC staff for responding swiftly and seamlessly to the safety concern," said Superintendent Sandra Lewandowski. "I truly appreciated their leadership, patience, and ability to stay calm today. Many of our students had the potential to become agitated by this situation, yet because of their professionalism, the afternoon progressed smoothly."
"The unmet mental health needs of students and school safety incidents are inextricably connected," Lewandowski added. "As a school district that serves some of the highest-needs students in the state, we have pled with the legislators, the Governor, the Minnesota Department of Health, and others for more help. We are getting a clearer picture of the consequences of this past year on students' mental health and the increasing responsibility of schools to be the front line of the children's mental health system."
The school was given the "all clear" on Friday afternoon, and classes will resume on Monday.
The incident is under investigation.