Authorities lift lockdown on Houston school after detaining new student

Just one day following the tragic mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, claiming 17 lives, Houston Can Academy’s Hobby campus was put on lockdown Thursday morning after a weapon was found in a student’s backpack.

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Houston police were dispatched to the school, located at 9020 Gulf Freeway, shortly before 8 a.m.

The gun was found during a screening process as students entered the school. The principal confiscated the weapon in her office, and the student was later detained after he briefly tried to flee.

“As soon as I was walking into my first period, they just rushed us into a classroom. They didn’t tell us what was going on or anything,” student Alejandra Mosso told Eyewitness News.

After the lockdown was lifted, the school released the following statement about the incident:

A student who enrolled with us two weeks ago arrived at our campus this morning with a gun in his jacket. During the daily routine for entering students onto the campus, our campus security officer discovered and confiscated the weapon. Due to the swift response of our security staff, students and staff were not in any immediate danger. The matter is now in the hands of Houston Police Department. The school is secure and all students are safe. The safety of the students is always our top priority. Our security process worked this morning, keeping all students and staff safe. We have counselors in the school available to anyone needing help.

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