Columbus high schools lock down for possible weapon

COLUMBUS, Ind. (WISH) - Students say they saw a gun, police and school administrators act fast.

It was a scary scene Friday morning in Bartholomew County when two schools were put on lockdown after police are told a student brought a gun to school.

Columbus North High School administrators were warned that a student in a welding class had a gun.

“Nervous … because I just transferred from East a couple of weeks ago and I don’t need that on my conscious,” 16-year-old Bryon Ripple said, “I don’t want no Columbine massacre.”

To complicate matters, the 19-year-old suspect is actually a Columbus East student.

“We didn’t know where this 19 year old was, the welding class was over and we didn’t know if he was still at North or if her was still at East,” explained Columbus Police Lt. Matt Myers.

A code blue was put in place and both schools were put on lockdown. Within a half hour the suspect was located, but no gun was found.

While police searched for answers, school administrators said it’s their students who helped bring their schools to safety.

“We can talk technology all we want the biggest safety factor was have in any school is always our kids,” says Larry Perkinson a Student Assistance Coordinator with Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.

Police continue to question the students that came forward and the 19-year-old suspect.