Man Arrested At Elementary School, Superintendent Issues Statement

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton Unified School District Superintendent David Haglund sent an email to parents addressing an incident that led to the arrest of an alleged convicted robber and the lockdown of an elementary school in the district last week.

Fairlands Elementary School was placed on lockdown around 10:47 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, after an unidentified, unauthorized individual, later identified as Rhodney Henderson, 32, was discovered in a storage room in the main building.

In his email, Haglund said the lockdown was "appropriate" and that the Pleasanton Police Department responded and resolved the situation without incident.

"Staff responded quickly and the Pleasanton Police Department arrived to remove the individual and placed him in custody without incident," Haglund wrote. "As called for in the school’s safety plan, students and staff remained in their classrooms with the doors locked, blinds closed, and lights off."

An all-clear was issued, and school resumed as normal routines at around 11:20 a.m., Haglund said.

A post on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, by KTVU Crime Reporter Henry K. Lee, identified the man as Henderson who, Lee said, was charged with burglary and having three knives taken from the school kitchen.

Lee also said Henderson spent the night on a couch in the storage area where he ate food from the school. Patch.com is working to verify Lee's information.

According to his email Haglund said a review of security camera footage showed the Henderson entering the campus through a door at the back of the school during a time when students and teachers were not present.

"This school security camera footage assisted in our ongoing investigation," he said.

According to the email, counselors and social workers will be on site and available to both students and staff for support.

"Parents/guardians are encouraged to communicate openly with their child, addressing their concerns and fears, reassuring them of their safety, and explaining the importance of lockdown drills to keep everyone prepared and secure," Haglund said. "Encourage children to share their feelings and experiences, and be patient as they process the event.

"Please know that the safety of our students and staff is of paramount importance to our entire team," he continued. "Given that these types of situations are frightening and raise appropriate levels of concern at all school sites, we are actively collaborating with our site administrators to evaluate and enhance site safety protocols across the District."

Haglund then thanked the Fairlands team for their response to the incident and to "our entire community" for the "important role" they play in "supporting the safety and well-being of our students."