'Armed Suspect' Near Murrieta Mesa High School Prompts Campus Lockdown

MURRIETA, CA — An armed person near Murrieta Mesa High School prompted a temporary lockdown at the campus late Monday morning.

Around 10:45 a.m., Murrieta police alerted campus officials about their investigation and a lockdown was quickly implemented as a precaution.

Within 15 minutes, the suspect was taken into custody, and school officials were notified. The lockdown was lifted, and no injuries were reported on campus.

A suspect was arrested and a firearm was recovered, according to Murrieta police Lt. Jeremy Durrant.

Murrieta Mesa High School "is safe," the police department confirmed via social media.

Principal Scott Richards sent notifications to Rams families throughout the incident, according to Murrieta Valley Unified School District spokesperson Monica Gutierrez.

Richards sent out another message at approximately 12:30 p.m.

"Thank you for your trust and understanding this morning," his message read. "As a recap, at 10:46 a.m., the Murrieta Police Department (MPD) placed Murrieta Mesa High School on a lockdown based on reports of a suspicious subject walking with a weapon near the intersection of Los Alamos and Monroe. Per our protocols and out of an abundance of caution, we immediately took action and placed Mesa on lockdown. This is standard protocol for our district when there is direct police activity in the area near our schools.

"At no time did the subject gain or have access to our school campus. All students and staff were safe.

"By 10:55 a.m. MPD had someone in custody. Shortly thereafter, MPD authorized us to lift the lockdown.

"As a father and a principal, I know situations like this may trigger different emotions and may cause families to become fearful. Please know that the safety of our school community is our top priority and one of the many reasons why we have such a strong partnership with MPD, including an assigned School Resource Office on campus daily.

"I want to thank our students and staff for their diligence and for following all protocols during the lockdown. I also want to thank our amazing Murrieta Police Department for their immediate communication and their continuous efforts in making sure our students and staff are safe while at school. If you have any further questions, regarding this law enforcement event, please visit Murrieta Police Department’s social media feeds. They will be posting information soon."

Murrieta police are continuing their investigation.