Zionsville West Middle School conducted a perimeter lockdown the morning of Dec. 6. According to a press release from Zionsville Community Schools Supt. Scott Robison, a small ammunition container was found on school grounds during the morning arrival of ZWMS’s 1,100 students and staff.
A student reported the container to a school resource officer, a police partner from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office who is on-site daily. The report set the lockdown in motion.
“Within minutes of the lockdown, county law enforcement help began streaming onto the ZWMS campus, including the sheriff himself,” Robison said.
Law enforcement and school officials followed campus protocols and scanned all students with handheld metal detectors.
“Our technology officials were isolating the video of that spot on campus and identified the vehicle. (They) contacted the parent and utilized law enforcement advice to determine the complete lack of threat from this matter,” Robison said.
The team ruled out that it was connected to an event that might endanger ZCS students or team members.
“The weapon associated with the inadvertently spilled ammunition container is at the family’s home and is secure. We are proceeding with a school day,” Robison stated in a press release.
An after-action review took place with eight local law enforcement officials, Sheriff Mike Nielsen, according to the release. Robison said the schools are fortunate to have responsive and well-equipped law enforcement professionals.
“Our team approach to school safety is essential — from attentive student (and other) eyes on our campuses to technologies that can sometimes assist us to a fast resolution,” Robison said. “There are brave law enforcement officials and school employees who train and react well during the crises that come to and through the schoolhouse door in 2018.”
