Man with knife got inside Lincoln elementary school, LPD says
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A man armed with a knife made into a Lincoln elementary school on Wednesday, authorities say.
About 1:30 p.m., a man tried to break through a window at McPhee Elementary School, Principal Theresa Haack said in a letter to families. The Lincoln Police Department said he had a knife.
That didn’t work, so Lincoln Public Schools said he came through a door but couldn’t get past the interior door of the vestibule, which was locked.
The school said it immediately went into lockdown and called police.
The man then used a bike to break through the interior door, according to LPS.
Police took him into custody within 10 feet of the front door, the district said.
A spokeswoman for the Lincoln Police Department said no one was hurt.
Haack said the school is no longer in lockdown, but staff are keeping students away from the door while they clean up.
“Your student is safe at school,” Haack wrote. “We have staff working to reassure students that they are safe and there are caring adults here to keep them safe.”
McPhee will resume school as scheduled on Thursday.
There were no reports of injuries, but there were concerned parents and family waiting for their children to be dismissed.
“It’s really hard to think like “Oh no,” what’s going to happen to my sister? I don’t know how to explain the feeling,” said Jason Palmer Jr, and older brother of a McPhee Elementary student.
Interim LPS Superintendent John Skretta said there is a plan to provide counseling to students.
“I want to commend the classroom teacher whose students were in the classroom when the individual attempted to break in the window,” Skretta said. “And upon hearing a second wrap on the pane of the window, the teacher made a split-second, great judgement to get the students out of the classroom and to safety.”
LPS said the lockdown was lifted shortly after the arrest and the school day continued as normal.
The district said the man has no connection to the school.
