Hillgrove High School gun scare: Student arrested after lockdown
Gun found at Hillgrove High School
A 15-year-old student was taken into custody after a gun was discovered at Hillgrove High School, triggering a Code Red lockdown and renewed debates over campus security measures.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A lockdown at Hillgrove High School was triggered Tuesday morning after a gun was found on campus,
This prompted a rapid law enforcement response and left students and parents shaken.
Gun reported at Hillgrove High School
What we know:
Cobb County school officials said the school was placed on "Code Red" status—the highest security level in Cobb County Schools—after a student reportedly had a gun.
A student said the gun was found in the cafeteria.
A 15-year-old student was apprehended within 12 minutes of the report of a gun on campus, according to the school district. Nobody was injured.
SKYFOX 5 flew over the school around 12:45 p.m. and saw a long line of what appeared to be parents standing outside the front entrance of the school. There were also groups of students spread throughout the campus.
The school later returned to "Code Green" status, which is normal operating status.
‘Thank goodness for the drills’
What they're saying:
For students inside the school, the lockdown happened quickly and with little information.
"We just saw kids running out the building, we saw the police pull up, and then we all ran straight to the football locker room," said student James Lumpkin.
Officials said a normal school day was interrupted when the weapon was discovered, triggering a Code Red lockdown.
"We just sat there and waited and everyone was scared, I was scared, and then we finally got the code green," Lumpkin said.
Parents rushed to the school looking for answers and to pick up their children.
"He texted me on the phone and I just jumped in the car, I just happened to be working from home that day," said Holly Lumpkin.
The incident has renewed concerns about school safety. One parent told FOX 5 Atlanta his daughter now carries an armored backpack because of fears like this. Some students and parents said the school does not have a weapon detection system and believe that should change.
"Do something that is effective as opposed to just talking about, ‘Oh, ban guns.’ Obviously, it's not working," said parent Doug Miller.
Other parents urged caution about adding measures like metal detectors. One mother said she opposed a newly approved state restriction on cell phones, saying it helped her learn about the situation sooner.
"I think more or less I'm more concerned about the cell phones and the fact that he was able to get in touch with me way before an email was sent out," Holly Lumpkin said.
Students said lockdown drills helped them respond during the incident.
"Thank goodness for the drills because it helped everyone get down on the same cover and I felt like that helped us," James Lumpkin said.
Cobb's ‘layered weapons detection’
Dig deeper:
According to the Cobb County School District's website, all high schools in the district are equipped with weapons detection systems.
"All Cobb Schools utilize layered weapons detection measures designed to help prevent, deter, and respond to potential threats," the school district wrote in a statement to FOX 5 Atlanta. "These systems go beyond traditional walk-through metal detectors and include tools such as the Cobb Shield, vapor wake detection, and comprehensive camera monitoring."
The district noted that while parents may not see traditional metal detectors at the doors, systems are in place. "Modern school safety relies on a combination of visible and non-visible strategies working together," the statement continued.
The district added that it does not publicly disclose specific safety protocols, as disclosure could compromise overall security effectiveness. "However, the absence of visible metal detectors should not be interpreted to mean the absence of weapons detection systems."
Investigation continues
What we don't know:
Several students said the student was female, but the identity has not been released.
It's unclear how the student was able to get a gun onto campus.
It is unclear what charges, if any, will be filed.
The Source: Information in this article came from a letter provided by a Hillgrove High School parent.