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Upper Dublin High School locked down after student is caught with an umbrella

The call came in to police at 8:30 a.m. An Upper Dublin High School student had been caught on a school security camera with what appeared to be a "long gun" slung over his shoulder.

Picture of an emotional young female student from Upper Dublin High School leaving the school early after the school came off of lock down, Monday morning. Upper Dublin High School near Ambler, PA went into lockdown after security suspected students may have had a rifle within the school building on Monday morning December 17, 2012. Upper Dublin police responded and removed several kids that were allegedly carrying an umbrella used as a prop in an experiment. Shortly thereafter the school was taken off of lockdown. ( ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER )
Picture of an emotional young female student from Upper Dublin High School leaving the school early after the school came off of lock down, Monday morning. Upper Dublin High School near Ambler, PA went into lockdown after security suspected students may have had a rifle within the school building on Monday morning December 17, 2012. Upper Dublin police responded and removed several kids that were allegedly carrying an umbrella used as a prop in an experiment. Shortly thereafter the school was taken off of lockdown. ( ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER )Read more
    by Mari A. Schaefer, Inquirer Staff Writer
    Published 

The call came in to police at 8:30 a.m. An Upper Dublin High School student had been caught on a school security camera with what appeared to be a "long gun" slung over his shoulder.

With tension high after Friday's shooting rampage in Connecticut, no chances were taken. The school was locked down and officers, with guns drawn, entered the classroom where the student was assigned.

The student stood and quickly fessed up. He had come to school with something odd slung over his shoulder - an umbrella.

It was a prop for a science project, police learned.

Officials knew few details of the project, which they were told was designed to simulate the human immune system protecting the body.

Upper Dublin Deputy Chief Lee Benson said it was poor timing by the student to carry out the project so soon after the Newtown tragedy.

Bob Schultz, assistant superintendent, said the boy's parents were notified. Schultz said he was comfortable with the police actions.

Superintendent Michael Pladus sent a districtwide robo-call and e-mail to parents letting them know about "what appeared to have been a suspicious event. The investigation revealed that it was nothing more than a student with an umbrella."