Henry M. Gunn High School went into a code red lockdown shortly after school when two male students brought a weapon on campus on Thursday May 27.

The two students were arrested at 3 p.m. after students were locked in various classrooms around the school for 45 minutes. Police originally thought that the students were carrying guns and were an immediate danger to both the students and staff. However the weapon was found to be a non-lethal Airsoft rifle. Although many students and staff members were confused or unaware of what was going on, the Palo Alto Police Department quickly responded and arrived on campus only minutes after the lockdown occurred.

Shortly after police and a SWAT team arrived at Gunn, they began to search the campus for the two juveniles and herded parents who were picking up their children to the Mesa Cemetery across the street from Gunn.

While police searched for the two suspects, students hid in classrooms with desks piled against the windows and doors. Many students attempted to contact their parents using cell phones to tell them that they are safe. Students were not told whether the juveniles were Gunn students or outsiders until police released students from their classrooms a little after 3 p.m.

“Police are investigating and are talking with the individuals involved,” an anonymous member of the Gunn community said to Palo Alto Online. “At no time were students or staff in danger. Students and staff did an excellent job of following the Code Red procedure and the Palo Alto Police Department’s response was immediate and extremely effective.”