Thompson Ranch Elementary School in the Phoenix suburb of El Mirage was placed on lockdown for about an hour Friday morning after someone reportedly saw a man with a gun near the school, the El Mirage Police Department said. Authorities said the school was later evacuated and the suspect, who was arrested by police, never gained access to the campus. But during the lockdown and before students and teachers could be evacuated, parents started showing up. Police said the parent group received alerts from their children inside the school. Three parents, one of whom had a gun, were arrested on campus, El Mirage police Lt. Jimmy Chavez said during a news conference Friday afternoon. Chavez said the three parents became “confrontational” with police and officers used a stun gun on two of the individuals. A family leaves Thompson Ranch Elementary School in El Mirage after a lockdown on August 12, 2022. UVALDE FAILURE: Uvalde school shooting report finds ‘systemic failures’ in law enforcement response UNIVERSITY FACTS: It’s not just Uvalde, Texas – shootings on school grounds are at an all-time high in the US One of the parents was taken to a hospital, Chavez said. He said several parents outside the school expressed frustration during the incident and wanted to enter the building to protect their children. “During the lockdown, it is very important that parents understand that no one will be allowed on campus,” Chavez said. “Several parents continued to agitate, had made several statements that they were going to come to campus to help protect their children. As a parent, I understand that philosophy, however there are law enforcement procedures and the school is following through.” The terror at El Mirage comes nearly three months after parents in Uvalde, Texas, fought with authorities outside Robb Elementary School as a gunman was inside the school. The police response to that shooting, which left 19 students and two teachers dead, has been heavily criticized for authorities’ failure to deal with the gunman for more than an hour. The story continues The Dysart Unified School District issued a statement following the incident reminding parents that no one can enter or leave a school during the lockdown. “It is important to remind our community that whenever a lockdown is imposed, no one can enter or leave the campus,” said Renee Ryon, spokeswoman for the Dysart Unified School District. “This is done in cooperation with law enforcement so they can clear every part of the campus to ensure the safety of all students and staff.” WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING: US teachers question profession, gun laws after Texas school shooting ‘We’re in paralysis’: There have already been a dozen mass shootings this year: According to police, initial witness reports indicated that the man entered the school’s administration building around 10:30 a.m., but police determined those statements to be “unsubstantiated.” “This morning at Thompson Ranch Elementary School, an individual who appeared to have a weapon unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to the campus through an exterior door,” Ryon said. “The campus immediately went into lockdown and the individual fled, never gaining access to the building.” Maricopa County Sheriff’s officers and the El Mirage and Surprise police departments responded to the location, but the intruder had fled, El Mirage police said. Police said staff also found a “suspicious package” at the school. El Mirage Police Chief Paul Marzoca said there was no threat and technicians cleared the package, which was determined to be free of explosives. All the children were safe and sent home as police investigate. School will resume as normal on Monday. This article originally appeared on the USA TODAY NETWORK: Arizona parents arrested for trying to pick up students during school lockout
