William Penn High School will be closed until next week to allow Delaware State Police to investigate a gun being fired inside the building on Tuesday, the school district has announced.
No injuries have been reported in the incident at Delaware’s largest high school, but Colonial School District said Tuesday evening they were closing the school to students so investigators could “conduct a thorough investigation.”
The school closure is for Wednesday and Thursday as Friday is a professional development day and no classes had been scheduled for students that day. Classes are currently scheduled to resume on Tuesday — the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.
“All before and after school activities, sports and events scheduled during these two days [Wednesday and Thursday] will be postponed and rescheduled for a later date,” the district said in a statement. “The safety of staff and students remains our immediate priority and by allowing for this break it provides officials with the time to properly investigate and gives everyone time needed to regroup after today’s events.”
Students experiencing mental health concerns should contact the National Mental Health Hotline by dialing 988 or mobile crisis at (800) 969-4357. The district said when students return on Tuesday, there will also be “extra support” for any students who may need it, as well as counselors on hand.
“While we are disappointed that this unfortunate incident occurred, we are thankful no one was injured and that students and staff responded quickly to the safety protocols put in place. We will get through these unsettling times together and will keep families updated.”
Lockdown lasted 80 minutes
The high school was placed on lockdown shortly after 11:30 a.m., according to the district’s website, while state police investigators responded to a report of a possible gunshot in the vicinity.
“This means students are resuming normal activities inside and are sheltering in place in the classrooms they are currently in,” Colonial’s webpage said Tuesday afternoon.
The lockdown was lifted about 12:50 p.m., approximately 80 minutes later, the website said.
After arriving at the school, located at 713 E. Basin Road, near New Castle, troopers started their investigation. Police searching the school’s exterior found a handgun.
Except for the presence of several police vehicles, the 2 p.m. dismissal did not appear different from any other day.
Several marked police vehicles were seen near the building as students could be seen leaving the school on foot. Some hopped into waiting cars and others continued into nearby neighborhoods. Other students left in school buses, while others left in cars.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Delaware State Police said no one had been charged in the incident.
Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com.
