RICHFIELD, Minn — The South Education Center Academy in Richfield was locked down Friday after a report of a student with a handgun.
Shortly before 1:30 p.m., Richfield police officers were called to the school after students reported to school staff that another classmate had a gun in their possession.
The school followed protocol and immediately locked down the campus.
Officers arrested the student near the main entrance of the school.
Police say they confiscated a loaded handgun in the student's possession.
The student was taken to the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center.
The lockdown has since been lifted, and school officials said school will resume on Monday. Staff will be available throughout next week to help students process the incident.
"The unmet mental health needs of students and school safety incidents are inextricably connected," said Superintendent Sandy Lewandowski in a press release. "As a school district that serves some of the highest-needs students in the state, we have pled with the legislators, the Governor, the Minnesota Department of Health, and others for more help. We are getting a clearer picture of the consequences of this past year on students’ mental health and the increasing responsibility of schools to be the front line of the children’s mental health system.”
