Bullet causes lockdown, police search at Radnor High School
A bullet found in a Radnor High School hallway on Monday was all it took for the school to declare a lockdown, news helicopters and reporters to rush to the scene, five bomb dogs from four jurisdictions to be brought to investigate, and parents and students to send a steady stream of text messages back and forth.
A bullet found in a Radnor High School hallway on Monday was all it took for the school to declare a lockdown, news helicopters and reporters to rush to the scene, five bomb dogs from four jurisdictions to be brought to investigate, and parents and students to send a steady stream of text messages back and forth.
"Society right now is so hyped about shootings," said Janelle McClure, a parent who was waiting anxiously for school to be dismissed. She was upset that the school did not contact parents immediately about the discovery.
About 10 a.m., a female student found a 9mm bullet in a lower-level hallway. She gave it to a teacher, who turned it over to school officials. They contacted police, said Lt. Andy Block of Radnor police.
The incident was cause for concern, and police brought in the K-9 bomb dogs to sweep the school, Block said. Nothing was found, he said.
"There were no specific or general threats to the school over the weekend or today," Block said. The bullet may not have come from a student. Outside groups were at the school this past weekend for the SATs and a basketball tournament, he said.
At 12:45 p.m., the school posted a statement on its website alerting parents to the incident. Another statement at 2:45 p.m. said a phone message had been sent to parents that all after-school activities had been canceled while K-9 units swept the classrooms and other areas.
"I shouldn't have to find out from my daughter and Action News," McClure said.
Hadley Chance, 18, was in class when she received a text message of a news article. She said the school should have kept students better informed.
"We weren't told what was going on until the end of the day," she said. "It wasn't a good call."
Rumors spread among students, said freshman Olivia Gusdorff, 14. She was in English class when the lockdown was declared. The students were told to move away from windows and doors before class continued.
"No one was freaking out," she said. She said she could hear police and school officials in the hallways. "Throughout the whole thing, we felt safe," she said.
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