Parsons High School put on short lockdown Tuesday morning

The high school in Parsons, Kansas, went into lockdown for a short time Tuesday morning after an overheard conversation regarding a bulletproof vest. Read the full press release below:

On November 17, 2020, at approximately 9:30 am, Parsons High School went into lockdown due to a false alarm by a student.

According to reports from concerned students, there was an overheard conversation that made mention of persons needing to wear a bulletproof vest. Parsons Police was notified and investigated the allegations thoroughly. It was soon discovered that the overheard conversation was misinterpreted and reported, which prompted the lockdown.

Deputy Chief Dennis Dodd said, “We do not take any allegation of shootings in our school lightly. Students safety is our guiding principle for being involved in USD 503. We will take action for any report we may receive involving our schools, the students, and the faculty that attend. I hope that the students involved learn that somethings are not able to be joked about and that the seriousness of their actions can cause alarm.”

Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said, “This may have been a false alarm but the next time it may not. This is why the police respond quickly and take decisive actions in response. The students that reported the conversation did the right thing by following our motto of ‘See It, Hear It, Report It’. This is the only way to keep our community safe.”