Detroit schools urge urban explorers to stay off district property after incident at Blackwell Institute

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is urging urban explorers to stay off its property following an incident outside the Catherine C. Blackwell Institute.

According to district officials, security cameras at the school on Shoemaker Street captured individuals described as urban explorers, a term defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as "a person who enjoys spending time in towns and cities going into buildings and places that are hidden or no longer used, and that may not usually be open to the public or legal to visit."

The district said in a news release Friday that its school buildings and grounds are not open for unauthorized entry, exploration or filming. It added that entering buildings without permission can put people at risk and "divert resources from serving students and schools."

Anyone who sees suspicious activity at a district property is asked to report it to the district's public safety department at 313-748-6000.