Lockdown At Daphne Middle School Lifted

Alabama Gun A student reported seeing a gun on campus. Police conducted a sweep but never found a gun.

by Jamie Burch

Published: Wed, March 18, 2009 - 9:17 am CST Last Updated: Wed, March 18, 2009 - 3:37 pm CST

4:30 p.m.
According to Baldwin County Schools spokesperson Terry Wilhite, a Daphne Middle School student reported hearing a classmate brag that he had a gun.

The school went into lockdown. Police searched the campus. They found three 9 mm bullets on an 8th grade male student, but never found a gun. The student will be expelled and is in police custody.

Below is a copy of the letter Daphne Middle School Principal Tripp Oliphant sent home to parents.

"We are very pleased to report that the lockdown at Daphne Middle ended this afternoon about 1:40 p.m. The school's safety planned worked masterfully. Teachers and students handled this matter very well. We also appreciate parents tuning into Notify Me, the rapid notification system for updates. The students and teachers were never in any harm. The lockdown ended when Daphne Police released the school around 1:40 p.m., completing a thorough, campus-wide search that included every classroom, the cafeteria, every locker, the gymnasium, band room, buses, and the campus grounds - every nook and cranny. We also had personnel from the school system's central office who helped in many areas throughout the day.

I put the school in lockdown after a student told a school counselor that a male student had bragged that he had a gun. No firearm was ever seen. In addition to going into lockdown, Daphne Police Dept. was called. They arrived within a few seconds.

Police searched the 8th grade student. They found three 9 mm bullets but no firearm. The entire campus was searched as we previously mentioned. The student is in custody of the Daphne Police Department. The student will be expelled which means he is not allowed to return to Daphne Middle or any other Baldwin County Public school. This incident now becomes a matter for the police department and court system.

Again I appreciate the cooperation of everyone on campus. Students and teachers were kept in classrooms and were supervised by teachers and administrators when they asked to go to the restroom. Around noon, with the permission and under direction of Daphne PD and school administration, students began going in shifts to the lunchroom. Before they were moved to the cafeteria, they were scanned by a hand-held metal detector to ensure safety.

The safety plan worked! I am most proud of the student who reported what was heard. Student safety is our top priority and it takes students, parents, teachers, and the community to ensure safety.

I especially appreciate our parents! You were very patient and allowed us to take care of your children. I encourage you to keep firearms and ammunition securely locked. No one of us can ever be too safe.

Thank you again for allowing me to summarize the day. As always, if you have any concerns, please share them with me."

2:10 p.m.
- Lockdown lifted around 1:40 p.m.
- No gun found

1:10 p.m.
- Students are being taken in supervised waves to the lunchroom. The school started serving lunch at noon.
- Before students were moved, they were scanned with metal detecting wands.

12:55 a.m.
- The school remains in lockdown while police search the school, cafeteria and buses. No gun has been found.

10:17 a.m.
Daphne Middle School is in lockdown after a student reported seeing a gun on campus.

The school was placed in lockdown around 9:30 a.m. as a precaution. Daphne police are conducting a sweeep. So far, no gun has been found.

A lockdown means all internal and external doors are secured and no movement is allowed inside until officers have completed their safety check.

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treese Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 3:29 pm

A correction email was sent at 3:40.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Baldwin County Public Schools

The student taken into police custody today at Daphne Middle is an 8th grade male.

sjcmom365 Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Three 9 mm bullets were discovered on the 9th grade male student.

I didnt know that 9th graders went to middle school??

treese Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 2:09 pm

I get the notify me emails from Baldwin County schools so I was able to make contact with a student who provided that information. Turns out that the child did not have a gun but did have bullets. Here is the last notice I received @ 2:55.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Baldwin County Public Schools

Normally we do school specific lockdown notices via Notify Me, but today we had Spanish Fort High doing a practice lockdown, Daphne Middle in a precautionary lockdown and Daphne East in a modified lockdown because it is next door to the middle school.

A student at Daphne middle had reported hearing another student brag that he had a gun. The school went into immediate lock down and the Daphne Police responded very quickly. Three 9 mm bullets were discovered on the 9th grade male student. But to repeat, no firearm was found on the student or located after an extensive search for the campus. The student will be expelled and is in police custody.

We are grateful for the fast and professional response of the Daphne Police Department!

suzanne45 Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 1:58 pm

treese, Where did you get your info??

suzanne45 Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 1:49 pm

exactly. Surely the kid would know he faced suspension for falsely reporting this.

KxVicious Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 1:34 pm

Why don’t they just ask the reporting student WHO had the gun? I find it hard to believe this student just saw a gun on the ground or on a table and not in the POSSESSION of another student.

treese Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 12:10 pm

supposedly a student brought a gun to school because he almost got in a fight yesterday - they are serving lunch now but scanning the kids with a metal detector before they enter the cafeteria

suzanne45 Says:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 11:08 am

UPDATES PLEASE WKRG!