On Thursday morning, Louis D. Brandeis High School on the Upper West Side experienced a scary lockdown after a false report of a gun inside the building.
Even though the report was later proven untrue, the situation caused chaos and fear among students, staff, and parents.
- A false report about a gun inside Brandeis High School caused a lockdown and brought out a large police response.
- Students were told to hide while police searched the school, but no gun or danger was found.
- The event has raised concerns about school safety and communication, especially how students and parents stay in touch during emergencies.
Police React to 911 Gun Report
At 9:40 a.m., police received a 911 call claiming there was a person with a gun inside the school.
Of course, this set off an immediate response from the NYPD, with heavily armed officers and a police dog unit arriving at the school to search for any potential threat.
As a result, the school was put on lockdown, and the building was thoroughly searched.
BREAKING: Upper West Side school on W84th Street is on LOCK DOWN, after reports of a person with a gun.
Police searched the school and the perimiter, suspect was not found.
Video by Steve Sanchez @FreedomNTV Desk@freedomnews.tv to license pic.twitter.com/pk8dHL1POe
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) September 12, 2024
Inside the school, students were told to hide under their desks while others were gathered in the gym.
As the news spread, parents rushed to the scene after hearing about the situation, either through their children or social media.
Meanwhile, the street was closed off, and everyone waited for updates as the police worked to secure the area.
Panic Among Students and Parents
While police officers moved through the building, communication was limited, leaving students and parents anxious.
As you can expect, many students texted their parents to explain what was happening.
One student, who didn’t make it to school that morning, shared how their friends described the lockdown, saying police were searching for a person in a bathroom with a gun.
Amid the chaos, parents gathered outside, waiting over an hour without real information.
One mother, for instance, shared how her son was hiding in a classroom, terrified while police searched the school.
Understandably, she was desperate for updates and deeply worried about her child’s safety, both physically and emotionally.
Lockdown Ends as Gun Report Found to Be False
Around 11:40 a.m., police confirmed that the report of a gun was not true.
After searching the entire school, no weapon or person of interest was found.
The lockdown was lifted, and students were allowed to leave the building, much to the relief of parents waiting outside.
Despite the lockdown ending, emotions ran high among students and parents.
Some parents expressed frustration with the lack of clear communication during the event, especially considering a debate in New York City schools about limiting students’ cell phone use.
During this lockdown, many students used their phones to stay in touch with their families, which some parents felt was their only lifeline.
Concerns About School Safety and Communication
After the incident, school staff reassured parents that the students were safe and that classes would return to normal.
However, many parents were still concerned about how the situation was handled.
The event sparked conversations about needing better communication and safety measures during emergencies.
Plus, the large police presence showed how seriously authorities took the report, even though it turned out to be false.
Parents appreciated the police response but were worried about the confusion caused by the lack of information from the school.
Ongoing Debates Over Cell Phone Use in Schools
This event has also raised the issue of student cell phone use again.
While some officials in New York City want to limit or ban cell phones in schools, parents in this situation relied on them to stay connected with their children during the lockdown.
Many felt that without cell phones, they would have been left entirely in the dark during this frightening experience.
As the community processes what happened, there will likely be ongoing discussions about how schools handle emergencies and how families can communicate during such times.
