5 Ypsilanti schools, administration remain on lockdown
Update at 1:05 p.m.: Lockdown lifted at five Ypsilanti schools, administration building
Five Ypsilanti schools remain on lockdown after a West Middle School staff member reportedly saw a man with a "long gun" in a wooded area near the school, authorities said.
The faculty member called 911, said Derrick Jackson, director of community engagement for the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department.
Ypsilanti High School, West Middle School, Estabrook Elementary School, Chapelle Elementary School, the Regional Career Technical Center and the central administration building next to the high school were locked down shortly before 10 a.m., said Ypsilanti Public Schools spokeswoman Emma Jackson. The schools are near each other, officials said.
Deputies are following up on leads and attempting to locate the man, who was described as being in his late teens or early 20s, Derrick Jackson said.
Deputies did not have a further description of the man. No shots were heard, and there is no evidence shots were fired, said Jackson, looking to dispel rumors. The gun has not been recovered, Jackson said.
Deputies are on scene and the lockdown continues as a "precautionary measure," Jackson said this afternoon.
The doors to the buildings are locked, and no one is permitted to enter or leave, school officials said.
Schools in lockdown are marked in this map.
Google Maps.
Comments
Bob
Thu, Jan 7, 2010 : 6:24 a.m.
TDW - You are correct, Estabrook is in the city. You can tell where the change takes place by looking at the condition of Mansfield. When it starts to look like a war zone, the dividing line is now the middle of Mansfield. The city and township have argued for years over who has the responsibility to repave it... I believe the county is now scheduled to repave it in 2011.
tdw
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 4:06 p.m.
Bob thanks for the correction.But Estabrook does look like its in the city hence my confusion
djm12652
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 2:19 p.m.
@tdw...lol...and Sandy, anyone that is responsible to own a gun, needs to be more than a "crack shot". Weapons training classes are mandatory to receive a CCW permit, or at least they were when I carried. And target practice just doesn't cut it. Scenario training is vital as well.
Bob
Wed, Jan 6, 2010 : 11:48 a.m.
Clarification - West Middle School is in Ypsilanti Township. The border is rather jagged in that area, but Mansfield is the dividing line there.
Cheryl
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 7:22 p.m.
Thank you to the west middle school employee who reacted to this situation. Dangerous or not. Thanks to the Ypsilanti school district for the quick reaction and the telephone call at 10:30 am to our home. Thanks to the law efforcement officers who responded. My child felt safe and secure during the lockdown as teachers and administrators did there job. Very well done. And for those of you who are glad your children don't go to Ypsi schools this happens all over and I personally am glad your not in our district.
tdw
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 4:56 p.m.
Sandy as a former Police officer I can tell you that cops do some of the stupidest things (with guns or not) reguardless of training
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 4:23 p.m.
Like I said, Greggy. Anyone can show they know how to fire a gun and get a permit to carry a weapon, that's their second amendment right. Whether they have the judgment required to handle the weapon is another matter. I'm a crack shot myself, but I leave these situations to the pros. The ones who receive proper training throughout their entire careers and who are there to serve and protect us.
Greggy_D
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 4:08 p.m.
Sandy....that is completely laughable and absurd. More qualified to exercise their Second Amendment Right?
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 3:49 p.m.
Greggy - Law enforcement personnel are more qualified to carry weapons, and use them, than a law-abiding citizen, even one who knows how to use their weapon during hunting season. They are trained not only in HOW to use a weapon, but on the appropriate situations to use the weapon. No matter how much hunting or target shooting a law-abiding citizen does, they are never as well-trained as the average member of law enforcement. So, Greggy, that's why I will trust them over you any day. Not to mention that I know THEY'VE passed a few tests before they're allowed to carry a weapon and wouldn't automatically conclude that someone carrying a gun near a school was legally okay to do so, like you implied in your first post.
hypsi
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 3:41 p.m.
@Sandy @Quitolady You are correct there was a lockdown at Community High..happened in 2008. Here's the info: http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/09/ann_arbors_community_high_scho.html Here's one in 2006: http://arborupdate.com/article/1174/ann-arbor-schools-under-lockdown-all-clear I think there was even a lockdown at Stone School one year as well, with a fight between 6 or 7 students which involved a handgun. This reminds of all the bomb scares A2 schools had during the 1980's, had relatives that taught at Ann Arbor..oh the stories they could tell..race riots, bomb scares, etc... Point being is this kind of thing happens everywhere these days..sadly I hope they catch those guys and prosecute them to the Nth degree. We should not have to put up with this kind of garbage anymore, especially when our children are involved.
Greggy_D
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 3:25 p.m.
Sorry Sandy, a law enforcement officer is no better or any more important than a law abiding citizen.
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 3:01 p.m.
According to the follow-up call from the school district this was a young man with a pellet gun who was not a student at these schools and he was not in any of the schools today. They wouldn't say any more other than the Sheriff's Department was investigating.
tracyann
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 2:44 p.m.
@dading - I know. I was trying to follow your sarcasm. Something tends to get lost in translation on messeage boards! :)
djm12652
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 2:35 p.m.
Sorry Gregg_D, I did not include @cinnabar7071 when I posted my response about the drug testing....my apologies for my hasty typing.
djm12652
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 2:30 p.m.
@Greggy_D, I'd say if someone was close enough for another person to visibly see a rifle or shotgun, then most likely they were on school property...and as far as over-reacting...don't think so. And I would say the the moderator is not doing their job by allowing you to infer that the person reporting the incident was high on drugs...shame, shame...
tdw
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 2:03 p.m.
I'm pretty sure that is school property.I think everything east of hewitt and valley to mansfield and between packard and congress is school property (with the exception of a few houses between WMS and packard on mansfield )
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:48 p.m.
Greggy - A person would have to be an idiot to carry a visible weapon near a school, exceptions of course for law enforcement officers. Unless you don't mind being hunted down and questioned about it, which you would be even if it turned out that it was legal for you to have it in that place. Use some common sense.
Greggy_D
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:39 p.m.
Some of you need to stop jumping at shadows. An actual criminal does NOT care about gun laws. They do NOT care about "Gun Free Zones". If they were intent on entering the school, then they would. In this instance, it appears the person of interest was NEAR the school and not on actual school property. If this is true, no crime was commited by the simple act of Open Carrying a firearm. (And yes, I have a daughter that attends Ypsi schools)
uhhuhher
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
@cinnabar7071 So you are saying that this person should have ONLY notified authorities if they were absolutely certain? These are our children that these schools are responsible for...I don't care if its a banana, or merely his hand in the shape of a gun in his jacket...if there is ANY suspicion it should be acted on. And a drug test? Really? For what reason?
tdw
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
sorry I should have said have some less than desirable people living there
patgreg
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
Actually parents were notified if you have the proper number in the system. I got the phone call. and no the staff memeber didn't overreacted.
uhhuhher
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:18 p.m.
@cinnabar7071 So you are saying that this person should have ONLY notified authorities if they were absolutely certain? These are our children that these schools are responsible for...I don't care if its a banana, or merely his hand in the shape of a gun in his jacket...if there is ANY suspicion it should be acted on. And a drug test? Really? For what reason?
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:18 p.m.
Thank you to annarbor.com for staying with this story and for the follow-ups in the comment section of the original story. Now that's something we couldn't have gotten from the old print newspaper!
tdw
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:17 p.m.
Cinnabar7071 the school is not in such a bad area but there are some apts.directly across from the woods that have less than desirable people living there.There is old saying "better safe than sorry"
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:14 p.m.
I much prefer that they notify me that they have placed the school in lockdown mode and are keeping my child safe, than I am to know the lockdown is lifted. Since hearing about the lockdown, I have been monitoring the news sites.
SBBoys
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:09 p.m.
It seems that the lock down was lifted, but I only just found that out through Channel 7 news. I was notified by the school at 10:45 about the lock down, but haven't heard anything from them about it being lifted. Maybe they think notifying us about the lock down is more important than allaying our fears after the fact...?
cinnabar7071
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:08 p.m.
tdw I do have kids. Just what did the staff member see? Either he saw a weapon, or he didn't. Your going to lock down schools on what? Your going to scare the heck out of parents because you thought you seen something? And your right I don't know the area, maybe the area has alot to do with it, but if thats the case why would you send your kids to school in this bad area? My drug testing? came because the staff member doesn't know what he saw.
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:07 p.m.
quitoslady - go post somewhere else. Community High in Ann Arbor was in lockdown last year because a shoplifter got into the school and they chased him all over until they found him behind a curtain, INSIDE the school. Lockdowns happen everywhere, not just in Ypsilanti.
tdw
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:04 p.m.
West middle school is in the city but the woods are really close to the Twp and city line.I would imagine both the city and county were involved in this type of situation
quitoslady
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:03 p.m.
I am so glad my kids are no longer in Ypsilanti!
gemwizard88
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:03 p.m.
Really? I have rcvd no phone call, and my son is at West, has been for 2 years now.
Sandy Castle
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 1:02 p.m.
The school contacted parents via the automated telephone system the district uses. The call went to whatever number parents listed on their kids' forms. I received the call at 10:30 a.m. Thank you to the staff member who reported this and alerted the authorities. Hopefully, it all will turn out to be a mistake, but it's nice to know that action is being taken in case it isn't.
Greggy_D
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:59 p.m.
If this person was not on school grounds, then no crime was commited. Open Carry of a rifle is legal in Michigan. Also, if the person has a CPL (Concealed Pistol License), Jennifer Granholm ruled as Attorney General: "It is my opinion, therefore, that a uniformed reserve police officer acting as an unpaid volunteer for a local police agency may carry an exposed, holstered pistol within the gun-free zones established by the Concealed Pistol Licensing Act; and if the officer is either a fully authorized "peace officer" or, alternatively, possesses a valid concealed pistol license issued under the Concealed Pistol Licensing Act, he or she may also carry an exposed, holstered pistol within the gun-free zones established by the Michigan Penal Code."
ypsituckian
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:56 p.m.
treetowncartel, I think you are wrong. West Middle school is not in the township. It's in the city.
ellory
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:54 p.m.
@gemwizard FYI - They did notify parents. We received a call from YPSD to notify us that there was a lockdown.
tdw
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:47 p.m.
cinnabar7071 appearently you don't have kids.You may not know the area either The majority of parents would rather have someone over react than under react in this type of situation.Also where did the drug testing comment come from?
gemwizard88
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:45 p.m.
yeah they dont seem to bother notifying parents, but they did the public...and it was shortly before 10 am it says, well didnt they go thru the woods by now? 3 hours later...there isnt that much woods on the school area there..
SBBoys
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:42 p.m.
I have three sons in 3 of those schools! I have no information and I'm freaking out! My oldest is in the h.s. and he's been texting me, but he has no info either... UGH!
treetowncartel
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:39 p.m.
That is Ypsi Township, not Ypsi proper.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:36 p.m.
"West Middle School staff member reportedly saw a man in close proximity to the school who appeared to be concealing a weapon" It appears to me that the staff member overreacted. What exactly did he see? Was the staff member drug tested? Either the staff member seen a weapon or didn't.
Ben
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:36 p.m.
Why contact the county sheriff for information on an incident occurring within the city of Ypsilanti? Is there a jurisdictional issue I'm not aware of?
dading dont delete me bro
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.
i was being sarcastic. i got a little excited when i read the headline because i have two in the ypsd. they don't go to any of those. i do know at least one that goes to west. i hope they find this guy(?) and figure out what's going on.
tracyann
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:08 p.m.
@dading - you're right. They should know better.
uhhuhher
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 12:06 p.m.
My guess, and this is just a guess, he doesn't care. After all, he is a criminal...
dading dont delete me bro
Tue, Jan 5, 2010 : 11:53 a.m.
don't criminals know this is a carry free zone?