Short afternoon lockdown a result of suspicious person

By Kelsey Wong

On May 24th at 1:15pm,  Irvington went into lockdown mode after principal Mrs. Sarah Smoot announced on the PA system for all teachers to lock their doors and for students to go into the nearest classrooms.

The lockdown lasted around 20 minutes,  ending at 2:14 pm and trailing into sixth period. Students were then directed to go to their sixth period class after an “all clear” announcement was made by Mrs.Smoot.

According to Principal Smoot, Irvington received a report from a school resource officer (SRO) that a suspicious person was in the community, propelling the school to go into lockdown.

“The suspicious person may have been carrying a gun, but we don’t know for sure,” said Irvington’s SRO, Officer Morales. “It was probably a paintball [gun], but you can’t take chances.”

Two police cars were spotted driving away from Blacow Road after the lockdown ended.

This was Irvington’s first lockdown of the 2012-2013 school year.