Gun found in Colorado elementary school student's backpack; lockdown lifted
It was a scary morning for some parents and students when staff at Arrowhead Elementary School in Aurora found a loaded gun in a student's backpack.
The Aurora Police Department said the student was contacted after they received a report of a student with a firearm just before 8:30 a.m. That gun was secured by responding officers.
Michelle Henderson says when her daughter got a text from Cherry Creeks Schools Friday morning that there was a weapon at her sons' school, she just wanted her boys in a safe place.
"For obvious reason, she's very shaken up right now," Henderson said. "She reached out to me immediately. I left work to come and pick them up."
Police said that students informed staff that another student had a gun. The school was briefly placed on lockdown, which has since been lifted.
In a news conference after the lockdown was lifted, Aurora Police Sgt. Brett Rauzi said the gun was a "small caliber handgun with six rounds in the magazine." There was no bullet loaded in the gun's chamber, he said.
Preliminary information suggests there was no "ill will" or threat made toward anyone by the student who had the gun, Rauzi said. He declined to say how old the student was.
Aurora police say they aren't looking at filing charges against the child who brought the gun to school but are exploring whether it is appropriate to charge anyone else involved in this incident.
The 39-year-old mother of the student was later issued a summons for child abuse and failing to safely secure a firearm, said police. Authorities said they are not releasing the mother's identity due to her relationship with the minor-aged student.
A Cherry Creek School District spokeswoman said no one was injured and confirmed the lockdown and the school's subsequent return to normal operations.
The following message was sent to parents:
"This is the Cherry Creek School District calling. Arrowhead Elementary is no longer on HOLD and has returned to normal operations. Early this morning, Arrowhead was made aware of a report of a suspected weapon. Law enforcement and district security were immediately contacted and responded to the school. A search uncovered a firearm in a backpack. All safety and security procedures were followed. All students and staff are safe. District security and law enforcement continue to be on scene investigating the situation. School will follow a normal schedule. Again, all students and staff are safe."
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office brought emotional comfort dogs to the school to help students.
When the hold was lifted, visibly emotional parents and guardians began to pull their kids out of school.
"I feel very good now being able to put my eyes on them," Henderson said. "I feel much more comfortable. Much more relaxed."
She says her grandsons don't really know what happened or why she came and got them early.
"They're looking at me wondering why we're not at lunch yet, because they're hungry," Henderson joked.
But she says she will explain it to them when she gets a chance.
"I don't think that there's a reason that this needs to be sugarcoated," Henderson said. "I think we need to be very open and honest and candid about the scenario that happened."
