Brownwood Independent School District issued the following statement regarding Thursday’s brief lockdown of schools:
Coggin Elementary and Brownwood Intermediate schools went on lockdown, Thursday, May 16th, for a brief period around 1:10 pm.
Initial reports of a suspicious person with a gun were quickly determined to be false and the lockdown was lifted when it was discovered that the man was carrying a screw-gun. School officials responded immediately to the report and secured students and staff on both campuses while the situation was investigated by district administrators.
The situation lasted approximately ten minutes. Due to the brief span of the lockdown period, the district’s e-alert communications system was not activated before the “all-clear” was given. Had the situation been verified as an actual emergency, alerts would have been sent out via email, Brownwood ISD Mobile App, website and social media.
The “all-clear” message was posted on the Brownwood ISD website at approximately 1:45 pm and subsequently through the district’s social media channels.Additionally, Brownwood ISD is reviewing how communications are handled to ensure that public alert protocols and policies are clear and that in the event of an emergency, parents and public are notified as quickly and accurately as possible.
