House Speaker Stuck In Weymouth School During Lockdown
WEYMOUTH, Mass. (CBS/AP) - A suburban Boston high school was placed on lockdown with Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo and another state lawmaker stuck inside.
Police searched the building Thursday. The lockdown started around noon and ended in about 45 minutes.
A 15-year-old student allegedly said he had a gun and a classmate told a teacher, which led to the lockdown. However, no weapon was found in his possession.
"In a situation when something is overheard, we take that very seriously, follow procedures and go in to lockdown as soon as we can," said Weymouth Public Schools Superintendent Kenneth Salim.
The student was charged with disrupting a school assembly and he may face additional charges. He won't be identified by police because he is a minor.
No one was hurt during the incident.
Classroom chairs, desks and bookcases were used to barricaded doors in the school.
Students say they had no idea what was going on.
"A lot of people were yelling and crying," said one student.
One girl says everyone was running and staff directed half of the students into the cafeteria and kitchen, while the other half hid in closets.
Students tweeted and texted one another, repeating rumors of what they thought was going on.
"It was hot. There was like 60 of us in there," he said. "It was just brutal. It was very scary."
Students also contacted their parents to alert them to what they thought was going on at the school.
"The first thing you think about is getting your kid out of the school safely," said one man.
DeLeo was at Weymouth High School to participate as a judge in a mock trial competition when the school went into lockdown.
"I always felt fine and secure, but it really made me think about what we have to look at as lawmakers here in Massachusetts," he said.
DeLeo and state Rep. James Murphy were being kept in a locked office while the school was searched.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports:
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