Lincoln Police respond to Prescott Elementary after student brings loaded gun to school

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Lincoln Police were called to Prescott Elementary School after a student allegedly brought a gun to the school.

According to LPS, a fifth-grade student showed another student a handgun in their backpack and made concerning comments about violence toward that student. That student then told their teacher who immediately called administrators.

The district said administrators removed the backpack from the coat hooks and brought it to the office and called police. Because the backpack was secured immediately and the situation was made safe quickly, Prescott officials felt that there was not a need to use any of their Standard Response Protocols.

“This is a phone call that a superintendent never wants to receive, but I was very proud of our Prescott administrators and staff in how they remained calm and kept students safe during this incident,” said LPS Superintendent Paul Gausman. “These professionals continue to build positive relationships with students which led to the reporting of an unsafe situation. It was brave of that student to come forward and tell their teacher what they saw. We are appreciative of Lincoln Police and their quick reaction to the situation. Lincoln Police have been a great collaborative partner in keeping our schools safe.”

Police are investigating and the district said the student who brought the gun to school will face legal consequences.

LPS said they will continue to work with LPD and LPS Security to ensure a safe learning environment for everyone at Prescott.

“Our schools are safe because of our community’s ongoing efforts to remain vigilant and share information when there is a concern,” Gausman said. “We encourage anyone who sees or hears something of concern to report it immediately so we can continue to ensure a safe learning environment for all.”

Prescott Principal JJ Wilkins wrote to families in an email:

“We know this is concerning news to hear. We are very proud of the student who reported the safety concern to their teacher when they felt unsafe. It is the important work of our staff at Prescott in building trusting relationships with our students that lead to this serious situation being resolved without anyone being hurt. We are thankful for the quick response by Lincoln Police and their continued collaboration in keeping our students and staff safe.”