A report of possible gunfire near a school Wednesday lead to a lockdown of two campuses and a search for a van.
The vehicle police were searching for in relation to possible gunshots near a school has been located and all parties identified, according to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday afternoon.
Police were looking for a man and a woman in an older model, aqua blue van near Rosemary Clarke Middle School after receiving a report at approximately 8:27 a.m. of an incident involving a weapon and possible shots being fired from one vehicle at another vehicle.
According to an initial report from police, a woman was hanging out of the van window yelling at two people when the male allegedly pointed an unknown object out the window.
Sheriff’s deputies and a Nevada Highway Patrol officer were dispatched to the area along North Blagg Road.
Rosemary Clarke and Manse Elementary went into lockdown after the Nye County Sheriff’s Office called Rosemary Clarke Middle School Principal Tim Wombaker to request the precautionary measure after receiving a report of gunshots in the vicinity.
A Sheriff’s deputy was placed at Rosemary Clarke to help secure the campus, according to Undersheriff Brent Moody.
Manse was also placed into lockdown by Nye County School District staff as a precautionary measure.
Both schools were cleared and released from lockdown approximately 20 minutes after being notified, the school district said in a statement.
“After further investigation, it was found that no shots were fired and parties involved had left the area. Subsequently, both schools were released from lockdown,” the Nye County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “Deputies assigned to the incident later located the vehicle in question and at this time have identified all parties involved.”
School district officials said Rosemary Clarke Middle School and Manse Elementary were notified of no danger to students and staff.
Wombaker said the faculty and staff responded well to the lockdown request.
“This was the first time I have ever had to lock down the school since I have been here,” Wombaker said. “It was just like the drills, the staff and the kids did a great job. I think things had gone so smoothly because we just had this drill last week. After the lock down, we had the kids text their parents that everything was OK.”
The Sheriff’s Office said that although the van and its inhabitants was found, “the incident is still under investigation and the public should rest assured that there are no further safety issues related to this incident.”