BROCKTON (CBS) – The Brockton school department and Brockton police are both defending the handling of a recent shootout near an elementary school.

Wednesday afternoon on Myrtle Avenue, just four blocks away from Huntington Elementary School, people inside two cars exchanged gunfire. Police were called, but the shooters got away.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Mark Katic reports

A short time after that incident, kids at the school were dismissed for the day.

The Brockton School Department said police did not alert them to the situation, but trust the line of communication, and they believe the kids were safe.

One official with the Brockton Police called the incident a non-story.

However, a handful of neighbors expressed concerns, saying the area is a well-known trouble spot and the school should have been notified.

Brockton Police have ordered school lockdowns in the past, but say they also don’t want to cause panic when unnecessary.