Report of gun prompts secure status at Frederick High

Mar. 28—A reported sighting of a person with a gun prompted a move to secure status and a controlled release for Frederick High School on Tuesday.

Frederick police spokesperson Renae Lehr said the call was an officer-initiated report of a suspicious person.

A letter from the St. Vrain Valley School District indicated the initial report was that the person had what appeared to be a weapon in the parking lot of the school, and school resource officers and other local law enforcement officers responded.

Out of an "abundance of caution" the school moved to secure status at 1:45 p.m. and then initiated a controlled release at 2:45 p.m.

During secure status, exterior doors are locked, but class goes on as scheduled.

"Student safety is our highest priority and I would like to thank and commend our students, teachers, and staff for following all safety protocols," Principal Russell Fox wrote in a letter. "I also want to thank the Frederick Police Department for their immediate support, as well as those who reported the potential weapon to the school.

"We take every report of a threat to safety seriously and encourage students, families, and staff to immediately report if they see or hear something that makes them feel unsafe."

According to the letter, Frederick police confirmed that the suspect was not on district property and determined "that there is no direct threat against the school and are working directly with the students and families who are involved."

Police did not offer further comment on the matter and whether a weapon was actually believed to have been involved.