East Lansing High School Put on Lockdown (NOW ENDED)

Officials are investigating report of a weapon. Parents are reminded NOT to go to the school during a lockdown.

East Lansing High School Put on Lockdown (NOW ENDED)
Students arriving at East Lansing High School this morning before the lockdown was instituted. Gary Caldwell for ELi

[Update 11:48 a.m. ELi received a credible report that the shelter in place lockdown has now ended at East Lansing High School.]

East Lansing High School Principal Shannon Mayfield sent a notice to teachers at 10 am. this morning to notify them of an internal lockdown at 10 a.m. “to address a report of [a] weapon.”

Sources from inside the building confirmed to ELi the lockdown in progress at 10:15 a.m. Some posts from the administration reference a "shelter in place lockdown."

According to Mayfield’s message, “We are continuing the investigation and will update everyone as soon as we have completed the process.”

As a reminder, parents are asked not to go to the school during an internal lockdown or shelter in place order.

ELi spoke with East Lansing Police in 2016 to explain an internal lockdown. The following is drawn from that reporting:

An “internal lockdown” means there is a perceived threat inside the building. In this case, every room is immediately locked and typically lights are shut off to make it harder to see vulnerable people. Teachers, staff, and children move to interior closets, or if none is available, they retreat to a blind corner (not visible from a window) and remain quiet. Police come as soon as an internal lockdown is triggered.

This is a developing story and will be updated at eastlansinginfo.news.

[Update 11:48 a.m. ELi received a credible report that the shelter in place lockdown has now ended at East Lansing High School.]

For reporting on last night’s school board meeting, which included many parents, students and teachers upset about ongoing violence and other disciplinary problems at the high school, click here.