A lockout on Blaine school district’s main campus was lifted after officials received a student report of a security incident on campus during the afternoon of Friday, February 28.
Blaine school district sent out an alert on Facebook at 1:14 p.m. that the campus was in “secure mode” and school officials were working with local law enforcement to investigate the student’s report. All students were safe, according to the district.
“Secure mode” means classes were still going on as usual inside, but all school district buildings were locked to outside visitors. It is different from a “lockdown,” which requires students and staff to lock classroom doors and shelter in place.
The school district said it would provide updates at least every 30 minutes and asked families to not come to campus during the lockdown.
The Northern Light observed heavily armed officers from Blaine Police Department, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Border Patrol around the school district property.
Parents, relatives and concerned onlookers gathered in small groups scattered around the perimeter of the school district grounds while the campus was being cleared by law enforcement.
The district announced at 1:55 p.m. that the secure mode had been lifted and students would be released on time.
In a social media post, Blaine Police Department (BPD) said officers were dispatched to the district campus to investigate reports of a subject on the campus with a firearm. The school campus was already placed on secure mode by the time officers arrived, along with WCSO and CBP.
According to the social media post, law enforcement agencies searched the campus for the subject while officers interviewed witnesses in Blaine Elementary School who “reported a man with a gun associated with a white truck.”
No such subject was found, according to BPD, and the campus was released from lockdown. BPD and school officials reviewed security footage that showed the student report had likely been of a maintenance employee holding a caulking gun.
“The employee, who was driving a white truck, was using a caulking gun to make a repair,” BPD stated. “We believe the student mistook the caulking gun for a firearm.”
No students, staff or bystanders were reported injured, and no arrests were reported.
“We would like to thank the Blaine school district for quickly putting the campus into lockdown,” BPD stated. “We are thankful the situation was resolved safely, and no students or staff were harmed.”
This article was updated about 4 p.m. February 28 to include additional information on the lockout.
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