A St. Paul middle school was locked down for about an hour Tuesday morning because of concern about a gun being inside the school, but it was determined the weapon was never in the building.
The situation came to light after a woman who dropped two students off at Murray Middle School in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood reported she noticed the gun she carried in her purse was no longer there. She said her bag had been in the backseat with the 11- and 13-year-old, according to Steve Linders, a police spokesman.
The woman called 911 and notified people at the school, who put the building at 2200 Buford Ave. into lockdown. Officers located the two students and their bags, but no gun, Linders said.
After reviewing surveillance footage to ensure the students didn’t pass the gun to anyone else, police asked the woman to look in her vehicle again. At that point, she found the gun in her vehicle’s glove box — it appears she forgot she placed it there, Linders said.
No threats were made and no one was arrested, according to Linders. Police said the woman had a permit to carry the gun.
Students continued learning in their classrooms and returned to their regular schedule about 10 a.m., Principal Jamin McKenzie wrote in a letter to parents.
“Students are often aware of situations before adults, so please remind your child that it is important for them to report concerns to a trusted adult,” McKenzie wrote. “This helps us take quick action to ensure the safety of all Murray Middle School students.”