DES MOINES, Iowa — Saydel High School was put on lockdown Tuesday morning after a student told the principal that a person in the parking lot had a handgun, which led to a police chase and the arrest of three suspects.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a call at 7:38 a.m. from principal Kevin Schulte, who reported the incident and told authorities that the school would be put on lockdown because of it, a release says.
The vehicle then left the school and later fled after officers tried to make a traffic stop. According to the sheriff's office, the car crashed into a yard at NE 6th St and NE 57th Ave, and an adult woman and two underaged men took off on foot.
The suspects—19-year-old Celeste Marie Gifford, a 16-year-old male and a 15-year-old juvenile—were detained roughly 30 minutes after authorities were called, and Schulte canceled the lockdown.
Only Gifford and the 16-year-old are facing charges. The 15-year-old was "released to a parent with no charges," the sheriff's office said.
Gifford is charged with:
- Carrying Weapons
- Interference with Official Acts
The 16-year-old is charged with:
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident
- Reckless Driving
- Driving without a License
- Operating a Motor Vehicle without Owner's Consent
- Interference with Official Acts Causing Injury
- Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (x2)
- Tax Stamp Violation
- Carrying Weapons on School Grounds
Three Air Soft pistols and a .22 caliber rifle were found in the car as well as illegal drugs.
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