How Waukesha South High School responded to an armed student
Updated: 6:58 a.m. on December 3, 2019
WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Waukesha School District released the following statement on Wedesnday regarding classes.
"Given yesterday's events at Waukesha South and North High Schools, the School District of Waukesha will be providing additional staff to assist students in the healing process. Either a counselor, psychologist or social worker will be in each of our schools throughout the district and will help students in the days and weeks ahead. Also, the Waukesha Police Department will have an increased presence on our campuses to help maintain a safe learning environment."
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Posted: 7:41 p.m. on December 2, 2019
WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Waukesha South High School was forced to put its security protocol into action on Monday, Dec. 2, after a student was found in possession of a firearm.
While police responded, the school immediately went on lockdown. Most parents CBS 58 spoke with had first learned about the situation from their children via cellphone. But Waukesha South did sent parents a voicemail and an email.
The email informed the parents that the lockdown started at 10 a.m., as soon as a school resource officer learned that the student had a gun. The school immediately cleared all the students from the halls and put them in a room out of sight of the armed student.
At the same time the lockdown started, the school resource officer went to contain the situation while Waukesha police responded. Most of the parents CBS 58 talked to were completely shaken by the incident, but they did feel the school and police handled it well.
Some parents say they do want more preventative changes, like metal detectors in the school.
"I appreciate what everybody in the community does, and the school, but this is an epidemic...it can happen anywhere," said Waukesha South mother Tara Coker. "I have little ones in another school, and every day you just wake up and now it's going to be like, what are they going to have to deal with? It's scary."
The school's superintendent says they are working with police to make sure they can hold classes on Tuesday, Dec. 3.