Social Media Photo Of Student With BB Gun Led To Academy Park High School Lockdown, Delaware County DA Says
SHARON HILL, Pa. (CBS) -- A social media post of a student with an alleged gun sent a Delaware County high school into lockdown Friday morning. In addition to the social media post, the Academy Park High School student allegedly showed the gun to other students.
Police sources tell CBS3's Joe Holden the gun in a photo that caused the lockdown is a BB gun.
It was a traumatic situation for many students and their parents. No one was hurt and the student that posted the picture was taken into custody without incident.
The photo was taken while the 10th grader was sitting in a classroom. Officials say he then posted it to social media and it started circulating immediately. A call to police went out around 9:15 a.m.
Eyewitness News has obtained this photo of the alleged suspect, which Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer says prompted the police response Friday morning.
The district attorney says Sharon Hill police, along with police departments from all over Delaware County and the SWAT Team, responded to Academy Park High.
The Southeast Delco School District tells Eyewitness News students and staff remained calm and followed protocol. One father says as soon as he got the call, he immediately left work and made his way to the school.
"Both my sons," parent Justin Wilson said. "He said he feared for his life, you know like I said, I lost a cousin on Christmas Day. I can't lose my sons. I can't."
Another adds they are happy no one was hurt.
"I'm happy nothing happened," Albert Hughes said. "Nobody got hurt, but how many times are we gonna come this close to a situation and somebody do get hurt?"
One mother told CBS3's Alecia Reid she rushed to the school after her daughter called, saying she was in class with that student. He showed her the BB gun. Both are 10th graders.
Stollsteimer said there are no metal detectors at this school, but it might be under consideration.
"The fact that we have such a problem in this country with juveniles having access to firearms, it's a natural flashpoint," Stollsteimer said. "We all have to rethink school safety going forward. But one of the things we have to make sure we're doing is also making sure we're offering the best mental and behavioral help to the students so we can identify -- in the school district or in the school building -- who needs those services."
The Southern Delco School District released the following statement:
The Southeast Delco School District is grateful to the Sharon Hill Police Department and all of the surrounding law enforcement agencies for their quick response. Our staff and students remained calm and followed protocol during a traumatic situation. This situation is under investigation and any details will be released from the District Attorney's office.
This is the same school where Fanta Bility was shot and killed by police after a football game got rowdy. Thursday night, Sharon Hill Borough leaders voted to fire the three officers involved in that incident. Officials told Eyewitness News they believe Friday morning's incident is not related to or reaction to that vote.
The incident is still under investigation.
