L.I. School Gets All-Clear After Gun Report

A 911 call about a teen possibly carrying a gun forced a Long Island high school into lockdown for several hours on Tuesday before authorities gave the all-clear.

Officers, including a SWAT team, responded to Elmont Memorial High School after a woman told authorities she saw what might have been a lime green gun inside a teen’s backpack at the school, said Inspector Kenneth Lack, a Nassau County police spokesman.

Police searched three floors, room by room, before determining the school was safe. The lockdown was lifted shortly before 1 p.m.

But parents concerned over last month’s mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that left 20 first-graders and six educators dead raced to the scene to be reunited with their children. A line of about 50 or more parents formed outside the school.

“This is really scary,” said Norman Spencer, who arrived at the school on the New York City border to pick up his son Darien. “We’ve seen numerous reports regarding issues like this, but when it happens here, it touches home.”

Darien Spencer said an announcement came over the public address system that the school was in lockdown, and students remained calm throughout the incident.

“At no time were any of your children in danger,” Principal John Capozzi told the parents. “All your children are safe.”

This article appeared in print on page D22 of the January 16th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.