No Airsoft Gun Found At Holmes Middle School Tuesday: District Update

UPDATE: No Ongoing Threat At Holmes Middle School After Lockdown, No Airsoft Gun On Campus Tuesday: Officials

WHEELING, IL — Holmes Middle School was placed on lockdown on Tuesday after school officials said that a student brought what was believed to be an Airsoft rifle to school, District 21 officials said Tuesday night.

But on Thursday, school officials issued an update saying there was no Airsoft rifle found on campus after all on Tuesday, but one may have been present on campus the previous week.

In a statement issued by the district Tuesday, Superintendent Michael Connolly said that the school was placed on lockdown around noon on Tuesday following the report of the weapon. Wheeling Police sent an alert out on social media early Tuesday afternoon saying they were investigating the incident and that no students were at risk.

On Tuesday night, Connolly said that police investigated the incident during the lockdown and believed the weapon to be an Airsoft BB-style gun. All students were released by 3 p.m. and district officials said that classes would be resumed as scheduled on Thursday.

A district spokeswoman clarified to Patch that all District 21 schools were scheduled to be closed on Wednesday in observance of Yom Kippur. In a video posted to the District 21 website on Thursday, school officials said that no weapon was found on campus on Tuesday, but instead that an Airsoft gun had been present at the school the previous Friday and possibly on Monday as well.

"We know that this event may have been traumatic to students, families, faculty, and staff," the superintendent's statement said. "Counseling staff will be on-site at Holmes Middle School on Thursday to support any student who may need it. There will be a heightened police presence on campus Thursday morning as students return to school."

Connolly said that families were permitted to return to the school on Tuesday evening to collect students' possessions, as the school would be closed on Wednesday. The superintendent also encouraged families to talk about the event and "process" Tuesday's events.

"We know that this has been a stressful and frightening day for the entire Holmes community and in the coming days, we will be coming together to support our students, staff, and families through it," Connolly wrote, saying additional information would be provided as warranted. "The safety and security of our students, staff, and families are the top priority of District 21."

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the school was closed Wednesday as a result of Tuesday's investigation into the report of an Airsoft gun on school grounds. The campus was closed for Yom Kippur. Patch apologizes for the error.