Parents tased outside of Arizona school that went into lockdown: police
Several parents were shot with a Taser outside a school in Arizona on Friday while it was under lockdown, police said.
The El Mirage Police Department said in a statement on Facebook that Thompson Ranch Elementary School was placed on lockdown following a report that a male subject had tried to enter the school around 10:30 a.m. with a firearm.
“School staff contacted law enforcement and immediately implemented lockdown protocol,” the post read.
Police said that as law enforcement arrived, the person with the gun fled the premises. During the lockdown, officers began clearing the campus of any threats. A package had arrived on the scene, but it was deemed safe by explosives technicians.
“As officers continued to work on clearing the campus, parents began to arrive on [site] at the school. Several attempted to force entry into the buildings past officers. It was at this time that a male began an altercation with officers. Two other individuals joined in the altercation,” police wrote.
“Officers deployed Tasers, taking the three into custody. One person taken into custody was in possession of a handgun,” they added.
Police said the male subject who had initially tried to enter the school with the firearm was eventually found by law enforcement and detained.
“He is currently being evaluated by mental health professionals, and criminal charges are pending,” police said.
The identities of the parents who were shot with a Taser were not immediately clear. NBC News reported that two of the three parents were shot with a Taser and that all three — two men and one woman — were arrested.
El Mirage police Lt. Jimmy Chavez said one of parents who was shot with a Taser was brought to the hospital to be treated for injuries, according to the network.
“We are so thankful that all students and staff are safe and that the campus remained secure. All safety protocols were followed and worked as designed. These incidents evolved quickly within a matter of minutes, and we applaud our staff and law enforcement for their prompt response, including El Mirage and Surprise police, Maricopa County Sheriff’s office and Department of Public Safety,” Dysart Unified School District said in a statement.
The school district noted that in light of the parents’ arrests, they were reminding individuals that no one could leave or enter campus during a lockdown.
“This is done in partnership with law enforcement so they can clear each and every part of campus to ensure the safety of all students and staff. Additionally, schools are gun-free zones and it is a felony to possess a firearm on any school campus,” the school district said.
The Hill has reached out to the El Mirage police for further information.
Updated 1:17 p.m.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
