Student with handgun found on Shortridge High School campus

WRTV Photo/Shea Goodpaster

Students and staff at Shortridge High School were placed on a lockdown on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, after a student with a handgun was found on campus, according to the school's principal.

By: Andrew Smith

INDIANAPOLIS — Shortridge High School in Indianapolis went on lockdown Tuesday after a student with a handgun was found on campus.

Dennis Thomas, the school's principal, told parents in an email the school was on lockdown for 50 minutes and it was later downgraded to a strong hold, which means the movement of students and staff is controlled and limited.

Thomas said the situation is being handled by the school's policy and reminded them weapons aren't allowed at school.

No injuries were reported during the incident, and the student involved was arrested, said Marc Ransford, a spokesperson for the district.

"The safety and security procedures that IPS has in place, including secured and locked doors and police officers in our high schools worked to keep both students and staff safe during today’s incident. The gun was found on the student who was under the supervision of IPS Police officers," Ransford said in an email to WRTV.

Additional details about the situation haven't been released by the high school or the Indianapolis Public Schools Police Department.

"Parents, you are the most effective resource we have for helping children remain safe at school," Ransford wrote. "Those resources include strong two-way communication; reporting any threat of harm toward students, to the school, law enforcement, or both; and using safety protocols to create an environment that reassures our students that they are safe to learn."