Photographer misidentified as suspicious person leads to lockout at 5 schools

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A wildlife photographer who was misidentified as a suspicious person led to a brief lockout at five schools in South Jordan and Riverton, police said.

According to South Jordan Police Sgt. Eric Anderson, a passerby reported a suspicious person Tuesday afternoon. While police investigated, five nearby schools were placed on lockout.

Jordan School District spokesperson Sandy Riesgraf told KUTV 2News the schools impacted were Daybreak Elementary School, Eastlake Elementary School, Golden Fields Elementary School, Midas Creek Elementary School, and Mountain Creek Middle School.

Riesgraf said the lockout was brief and involved the locking of the exterior doors as a precaution.

“There was no disruption to class,” Riesgraf said. “We let all parents know.”

Police investigated and determined the report of a suspicious person was simply a “misidentification of a photographer and tripod,” Anderson said. He noted the photographer is frequently in the area taking pictures of wildlife by Oquirrh Lake.