Local News

Actions

Worried parents flock to Shadow Ridge High School after reports of person with gun

Shadow Ridge lockdown 2
Posted at 1:55 PM, Mar 29, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-29 17:49:40-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Shadow Ridge High School was put under a hard lockdown on Wednesday morning after police received of a person with a gun on campus.

Scared parents and loved ones rushed to the school to find their students, but instead many say they found a lack of answers.

One parent, Jeff Clemons told Channel 13, "The district didn't call me or anything. A friend's parent sent me everything she knew and my daughter called me a half-hour into the lockdown."

He added, "It's scary. My daughter is scared to death. She's just crying and wants to leave."

While Shadow Ridge's Principal Traci Kannon sent out an email to parents when the lockdown was initiated, some say it wasn't enough.

"The principal said pretty much what the kids said, which was there was an active shooter but nothing had been verified," said another parent, Joyce Reed-Chapman. "As soon as I got here, I went up and talked to a man in a yellow vest who said everything's okay, but I don't think everything's okay."

She continued, "The helicopter was still here, more cops were arriving, more vehicles were coming in — I don't feel we're getting the information, as parents, to have our stress and anxiety relieved."

During the lockdown, Las Vegas Metro Police confirmed in a tweet that there was no active shooter on campus. LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Jim Seebock also said during a press conference that police believe there was only one suspect with a gun, but there was no active threat.

Channel 13 also spoke with Cheyanne McMillon, a senior at Shadow Ridge who had left campus earlier in the day. She says she came back to campus once the lockdown was announced because her brother and sister were both still inside.

"When the students are providing more information than the staff, we get worried because there is no higher-up adult telling us what we need to know," McMillon said. "That's not how you handle these situations"

During a press conference on Wednesday, both CCSDPD and LVMPD said they communicated as much as possible as the situation developed.

"We work together because our goal is to keep your kids safe. I'm a parent and I know what it's like — it's scary and concerning," Seebock said. "We communicated as much as we could through our PIO office, to parents through text messages, and started sending out notifications from the school as well."

CCSDPD also reminded families about the SafeVoice program, which allows students to submit anonymous reports about issues that concern school safety.

Students were reunited with their families and loved ones after LVMPD and CCSDPD complete thorough safety screenings.