OTTAWA – Officials put a lockdown at Ottawa high and middle schools this this morning. The lockdown occurred after 11:13 a.m. today, when the school resource officer was notified of a possible weapon on campus at Ottawa High School. Additional officers were notified and responded to the school to investigate because the resource officer was investigating a burglary at an Ottawa elementary school that resulted in three arrests, said assistant police chief Adam Weingartner. Officers were initially told that a student in the high school was seen with a handgun; the student was initially unaccounted for, he said. “It was quickly learned that he was attending an off-site, school sponsored, field trip nearby,” Weingartner said. Police officers found a backpack belonging to a student with a pistol inside. The backpack was found unattended in an empty classroom, he said. A 15-year-old and a 16-year-old boy from Ottawa were peacefully taken into custody while they were still off school grounds, he said. The two were booked into the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of defacing identifying marks on firearm, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal possession of a firearm on school property. There were no injuries that occurred from the incident, he said. “The department engaged in a unified response with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to secure the school and conduct an investigation,” Police Chief Dennis Butler said. “Both departments routinely plan and train for such a response and today’s response mirrored those efforts. Our primary goals and objectives are ensuring the safety and security of the students and staff at Ottawa High School and Ottawa Middle School. During a fluid situation rife with unknown circumstances, every action taken today was to prevent a tragic outcome that we see all too often in communities across this country. The prompt reporting and cooperation of the Ottawa High School administrative staff aided us today in helping resolve this situation.” Investigators would continue to try to find out why the gun was brought into the school, Butler said. “I wish to thank the responding officers for their professionalism and rapid response,” he said. “To the parents, I want to reiterate that the safety of your children was our highest priority today.”
Monday, April 10, 1 p.m.; updated 8:30 p.m.
