Staff, students reported safe after lockdowns at 2 Salem schools

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Breaking news

McKinley Elementary School and Sprague High School were briefly put on lockdown Friday due to circumstances described by officials as suspicious.

Communications officials with Salem-Keizer Public Schools told the Statesman Journal the two incidents were not related.

School district officials posted on Twitter at 1:11 p.m. that McKinley Elementary School, located at 466 McGilchrist St. SE in Salem, was in lockdown due to "a report of a suspicious individual in the area." By 1:34 p.m., they posted the lockdown was lifted. All students and staff were reported safe by district officials. Parents were notified via ParentSquare.

Salem Police Lt. Treven Upkes said the individual originally attempted to get into South Salem High School. Staff observed a man rattling the doors before walking off in the general direction of McKinley Elementary, which is less than a half mile away. The district, he said, proactively put McKinley on lockdown as a result.

South Salem High School families were made aware of the heightened security but the school was not put on lockdown. When police arrived in the area, Upkes said they could not find anyone matching the individual's description.

Then at 3:15 p.m., district officials posted again on Twitter, saying, Sprague High School, located at 2373 Kuebler Blvd in Salem, was in lockdown due to "a report of suspicious activity on campus." Buses were held during the lockdown, officials wrote.

By 3:30 p.m., district officials reported the lockdown was lifted. All students and staff are safe, according to the posts. Families were notified via ParentSquare.

Upkes said in this case, a parent was picking up a child and appeared to have a rifle in the car.

The responses to both incidents, he said, were precautionary. Police are no longer looking into the incidents.

Natalie Pate covers education for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at npate@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6745. Follow her on Twitter @NataliePateGwin.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Staff, students reported safe after lockdowns at 2 Salem schools