Lowell Police responded late this morning to the Career Academy on Smith Street for reports of a student with a gun. The Career Academy is an alternative school serving at-risk students referred from Lowell High and other schools in the district.
Police Superintendent Barry Golner tells InsideLowell “staff discovered a gun and called police.” Authorities responded, the school was placed on lockdown and NEMLEC gun sniffing dogs were brought in “as a precaution.” The male student was apprehended without incident. Goldner added there will be “added police presence and increased safety measures in the coming days.”
Word of the incident began spreading as LPD put out the below tweet:
Based on that tweet from the official Lowell Police account, Lowell Public Schools sent out the following message to parents around 12:30pm:
(Update 3:45pm) Lowell Public Schools sent the following email to families this afternoon:
Dear Career Academy Families,
At 11:30 this morning, a student at the Career Academy was found to be in possession of an unloaded gun. The Career Academy, consistent with district policy and practice, immediately contacted the Lowell Police Department and the building was put into lockdown as a precaution.
No students or staff were harmed or injured. The student and the weapon were taken into police custody.
In an abundance of caution, police dogs were brought in to conduct a full search of the building. No additional weapons were discovered and the lockdown was lifted at 1:15 p.m.
As always, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Lowell Public Schools does not tolerate students bringing weapons of any kind to our school buildings or to school-sponsored events.
We would like to thank the Lowell Police Department for their continued support, as well as the staff at the Career Academy for their quick and responsive actions. We ask you to remind your child that if they “see something, say something.” It is important to report any suspicious activity to a trusted teacher, administrator, staff member, or adult.
