Edinburgh school forced into ‘lockdown’ after pupil spotted with BB gun

Early on Friday morning morning parents at Knox Academy in Haddington, a town just outside Edinburgh, were informed that the school had been placed into a “lockdown”.

Police Scotland confirmed that the school was shut down after a “youth” was seen “in possession of what was believed to be a BB gun”.

Family members were told in an email sent around 10:55am to “not be too concerned” by the news, assuring that an update would be provided “as soon as possible”.

As the situation was unfolding, a grandparent of students at the school told Edinburgh Evening News that family members had “heard reports that police were standing outside the school” and that “kids were locked in classrooms”.

Later in the morning, a Police Scotland spokesman said that officers were called to the school “at around 9.15am”.

A 15-year-old has since been arrested, with an East Lothian Council spokesman confirming the reports, stating that “school staff quickly followed established procedures while Police Scotland responded to the incident”.

The spokesman continues: “Parents were informed via our GroupCall system that a lockdown was in place but that pupils were safe.

“We were able to reassure parents shortly afterwards that the incident had been dealt with and that pupils were all safe and had been released for their morning break.”

Some parents felt that the school and Police Scotland did not provide sufficient information on the subject, with one parent telling the news outlet that parents had been “left in the dark” by the school.

Another said during the event: “Concerned parents have no idea what is going on apart from that all our kids are locked in classrooms. Lights are off and police are there and we’ve heard there’s an intruder in the school.”

Featured image via Google Maps.

Knox Academy and Police Scotland have been approached for comment.