All students are safe after gunshots reported off campus led to a midday lockdown today
Carrboro High School in North Carolina was placed on lockdown around noon today after gunshots were reported outside the campus, sending students scrambling to shelter in place before authorities cleared the area and restored normal operations roughly 90 minutes later.
Lockdown triggered by off-campus gunfire
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district announced the lockdown at approximately 12:21 p.m. today, April 14. Students and staff were immediately directed inside, classroom doors were locked and law enforcement from multiple agencies responded to investigate the area around the school, which is located off Smith Level Road just south of downtown Carrboro.
Authorities determined that no shots were fired on campus and that the shooting had occurred off school grounds. No students or staff members were injured. One person was detained in connection with the incident, according to officials.
Some students who had been eating lunch outdoors when they heard the gunshots left campus before the lockdown was fully in place, district spokesman Andy Jenks confirmed.
3 schools affected before all returning to normal
The lockdown was not limited to Carrboro High School. Two nearby schools, Culbreth Middle School and Frank Porter Graham Bilingual Elementary School, both located approximately a mile and a half from the high school, were briefly placed in secure mode as a precaution. Secure mode allows the school day to continue as normally as possible while students are kept inside with exterior doors locked.
Law enforcement announced the surrounding area was clear at approximately 1:30 p.m., allowing all 3 schools to resume normal operations. Carrboro High School was expected to dismiss students at its regular time of 4 p.m.
Families offered early pickup option
District officials acknowledged the distressing nature of the situation and offered families the option of picking up their students early through standard checkout procedures. In a statement shared on social media, school officials recognized the disruption to students’ day while reassuring families that safety had been the top priority throughout the incident.
Carrboro police, assisted by officers from multiple agencies, continued to investigate the shooting after the lockdown was lifted.