NORTH ST PAUL, Minn. — The weapon that prompted a North St. Paul High School lockdown Thursday turned out to be a firearm replica, according to the school district.
The high school was placed on lockdown in the afternoon. Josh Anderson with North St. Paul Maplewood Oakdale School District says that was after the school received a tip that a student might have a handgun. The school resource officer was notified and the student was located and arrested, Anderson said. A second person was also arrested in relation to the incident.
Shortly after that incident was resolved, the high school received a cyber threat about another student having a gun. The school went back on lockdown while the threat was investigated and police questioned the person who posted it.
That lockdown was lifted shortly before afternoon dismissal.
Superintendent Osorio said in a statement, "In District 622, student and staff safety is our top priority. The vigilance of our staff and students is paramount to school safety. We are proud of our team for their communication and swift response."
In an email to parents on Thursday, Principal Greg Nelson said:
Earlier this afternoon North High School staff received a tip that a student allegedly had a handgun in school. The school was immediately put into lock down while the school resource officer quickly identified and arrested the student. The school is remaining in lock down as a precautionary measure.
The school district is investigating the incident and will be following state law and school district policy regarding school discipline. The Minnesota Data Practices Law prohibits the discussion of further details.
Student safety is and continues to be our primary concern. We applaud our students and staff for their communication and quick action.
If you or your student see or hear anything, please access the Tip Line through our District 622 mobile app. Your tip can be anonymous. To download the app, search for School District 622 in your app store. There is a green Tip Line icon. Click on it and choose the category for which you would like to report a tip.