Several students at a Kansas middle school were injured by broken glass on Tuesday after a worried parent led them through a broken window during a lockdown over reports of a gun on campus.
Administrators at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School in Lawrence, Kan., were made aware that a student may have brought a weapon to school, The Kansas City Star reported.
{mosads}The student was questioned by school officials, who decided to put the school on lockdown as “a precaution.” The school later said reports about a gun on campus were unfounded.
During the lockdown, parents who reportedly received “concerning text messages” about the unfolding situation began showing up at the school and calling 911, the newspaper reported.
Police said in a statement obtained by the newspaper that the first call was reported before noon Tuesday.
One concerned parent broke a classroom window and tried helping children out through the makeshift exit, Lawrence Public Schools said in a statement. The Kansas City Star reported that the broken window was on the first floor.
Five students were treated by paramedics for minor cuts and none required an ambulance.
The Star reported that police arrived following reports of an intruder and conducted a search of the building before determining there was no threat.
Julie Boyle, spokesperson for the Lawrence School District, said in a statement that the district would review the incident and make adjustments to safety plans and procedures.
“The district can certainly understand a parent’s fear for their child’s safety,” Boyle said in a statement. “During a lockdown, for the safety of students and staff, no one except law enforcement may enter the building. We ask for parents’ cooperation with these procedures for the safety of everyone involved.”
The incident came one day after a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would establish a federal “clearinghouse” tasked with making recommendations for how to improve school security and design in the wake of mass shootings.