Boy Carrying Toy Gun at Pat Nixon Elementary Triggers Calls to Cerritos Sheriff's Station

Members of the swarmed the field near  on Sunday afternoon after receiving a call of a man carrying a gun, but upon arrival only found a 14-year-old boy with a toy gun.

The incident began about 5 p.m. Sunday when the Cerritos Station received reports of "a man carrying a black gun in his right hand" walking through the elementary school, Lt. G. Deedrick told Patch.

Deedrick said a report of this nature is taken very seriously by the Sheriff's Department, thus prompting an immedate search of the area by units on foot as well assitance from a sheriff's helicopter circling the area overhead. 

Deputies on the premises quickly discovered a 14-year-old with a replica toy gun, who had apparently been mistaken for a gunman.

"He was detained and released to his parents," the lieutenant said, adding that the boy was by himself on the school grounds. It was unclear why he brought the fake gun to the school.

Pat Nixon Elementary is currently closed for summer break. School will commence on Thursday, Sept. 8. The school was designated a magnet school in 2010, and is now known as Nixon Academy of Multimedia Arts Production, according to the school's website.

For more information about the Sunday afternoon incident, call the Cerritos Sheriff's Station at (562) 860-0044.