LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hours after an 18-year-old former student was detained after a lockdown at Jeffersontown High School Thursday afternoon, Jeffersontown Police Chief Rick Sanders said no gun was ever found on the man who got inside the school and no one witnessed him having one - meaning no charges have been filed at this point.
Jeffersontown PD said it found the former student off-campus, after the incident set off a scare. Chief Sanders says his department will be turning this investigation over to JCPS.
Earlier, Louisville Metro Police Department spokesperson Beth Ruoff said Jeffersontown Police Department responded to the report of a former student unlawfully accessing the building at around 12:30 p.m. LMPD also responded to the scene.
During a press conference outside the school, Ruoff then said any report that the person was armed is unconfirmed. The former student was located "a short distance away" off-campus and detained by J-Town Police.
J-Town High School went into lockdown as police worked to secure the building. All students and staff were cleared out of the school class-by-class. No injuries were reported.
JCPS spokesperson Renee Murphy said the school began dismissing students one hour after the school day was scheduled to end. The first run of buses started transporting students home as car riders and walkers were shuttled to Tully Elementary for pick-up.
Murphy said a second run of buses would take the remaining students home before students who drove to school were released. She asked parents for patience, saying "this could take a little bit longer than it would on a normal day."
Both Murphy and Ruoff said the school followed proper procedures amid the lockdown.
"Our staff did everything that they were supposed to do in response to what happened here today," Murphy said. "We know...the climate that we're in right now in our community, and our school responded appropriately."
Meanwhile, dozens of parents were seen hugging their students at Tully Elementary -- which became the drop-off spot for J-Town High School car riders and walkers to connect with their families.
"In that moment, I was like, 'Oh God I get to see my mom again, so I was just thankful," senior Faith Johnson-Gay said.
Even once officials gave students the OK to leave, the day left an imprint. Many families told us the lack of communication from school leaders was concerning.
The district's response:
"Multiple notifications were shared with our families and were shared on social media as well," JCPS spokesperson Renee Murphy said.
Murphy said JCPS will have its crisis team at J-Town High School Friday to support students.
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