Details about a temporary lockdown at Lugonia Elementary during a police search for a suspect earlier this week have been released by Redlands Unified School District.
The search began when officers responded to a call about a possible man with a gun about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday June 4 in the area of 6th and Brockton, about four blocks south of the school, according to a city spokesman.
About 11:50 a.m., Lugonia principal Kathy Jeide saw a helicopter begin to hover over a neighborhood adjacent to the school, but no police presence was visible, RUSD Student Services director Jon Best said in an email.
"Jeide radioed the office to contact Redlands PD dispatch and determine if there was a law enforcement event in progress," Best said. "Within a moment's time, it was determined a law enforcement event was in progress which was then confirmed by dispatch."
In accordance with Redlands Unified School District procedures, Jeide called a lockdown at approximately 11:52 a.m., Best said.
"Staff moved swiftly into action and students on the playground were quickly whisked inside to locked classrooms, cafeteria doors were pulled shut to ensure the safety of kids at lunch, the school entry gates locked to slow the suspect should he/she move in our direction, and attendance taken then reported via computer to the office to ensure the location of all students and persons on campus," Best said.
The police search, initially focused on the area of 6th and Brockton, turned up no suspect, but an officer on that call saw another subject run from a back yard in the area of 6th and Western, Redlands spokesman Carl Baker said earlier this week.
"It was unrelated to the initial call," Baker said. "Officers chased that subject but were unable to locate him."
According to Best, when the law enforcement helicopter had gone and police presence diminished, Lugonia Elementary staff called RPD dispatch to confirm the threat was over.
"Once it was verified that the proximity search had ceased and there was no threat to students, the lockdown was ended and the daily routine resumed," Best said.
No suspects were ever located during the police search, but the incident raised curiosity in the neighborhood and among some parents of students at Lugonia Elementary.
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