Report of gunman locks down Pat Butler school
Concerned residents gather at police barricades near Pat Butler Elementary School on Nicklaus Street. Photos by Paco Guzman
Search for armed man who threatened students at recess finished at 2:15 p.m.
Update: While searching for a suspect who allegedly threatened two students at recess this morning, Paso Robles Police Department closed down the area surrounding the school and school officials locked down the school. The search by local law enforcement, including Paso Robles and Atascadero police departments’ K-9 units, California Highway Patrol’s airplane and helicopter, San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office and San Luis Obispo County Probation Department, did not reveal any suspects or threats to the school or the students. Once the search was finished, school officials reopened Pat Butler campus and resumed normal operations. At that time, parents were able to pick up their children.
“Today when the school was locked down, we did a search in the area … no one was found in the area and no evidence was found for any leads,” Paso Robles Police Chief Robert Burton said. He said that the suspect was described by the students as a black adult male wearing a cowboy hat and a rifle or shotgun slung over his shoulder.
Burton advises that when people see anything suspicious to report it to the police. “I think what happened today is a good example of what should happen,” Burton said.
Original report Jan. 15, 2015, at 12:35 p.m.: Pat Butler Elementary School went into lock down today at 10:45 a.m. after two students reported that they had been approached by a black male adult during recess. According to a press release issued by the Paso Robles Police Department, the children said the suspect was on the outside of the athletic field perimeter and was in possession of a shotgun or rifle. After the suspect threatened the children, they ran back to the school buildings and reported the incident to school administration, who then immediately locked down the school.
Local law enforcement is on the ground searching for the suspect, while a plane circles the area. Residents have been encouraged to stay inside their homes during the search of the area around the 700 block of Nicklaus Street. Parents of Pat Butler students may gather at the district office at 800 Niblick Road. School officials are on-site with updates as available.
