Schools locked down in ‘gun threat’
From our weekly issue dated November 26, 2008
All three public schools in Cave Junction went into emergency “lock-down” mode with students confined to their rooms with lights out following a report that someone with what could be a gun was seen at Illinois Valley High School.
The incident began at approximately 1:23 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21. With all students and personnel in the lock-down condition, five deputies, led by Sheriff Gil Gilbertson, searched the high school with weapons at the ready in case an unauthorized person was located, especially one with a gun.
The incident began when a staff person reported seeing a young man with what looked like a weapon wrapped in a cloth of some sort. He was said to be near the forested area between the football and baseball fields.
After officers were on scene searching for some 20 minutes, and no one was found, the situation was deemed safe. Besides IVHS, the lock-down format was followed at Lorna Byrne Middle School and Evergreen Elementary School, under policy of Three Rivers School District.
The “suspect” was not located, but Gilbertson said, “They let somebody off the (county) bus, a new kid around here. And he had something wrapped up. Turns out it was a stick; the bus driver confirmed all this.
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“He was cutting through the woods behind the school.
“It gave us an opportunity to train,” said the sheriff. “We cleared the building. Everything went like clockwork; everybody locked down. It’s a good system.”
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