Jordan High School in Durham went into lockdown Wednesday afternoon as officers swept the campus for a reported weapon, keeping students and staff sheltered inside classroom and office spaces while police searched the buildings and surrounding grounds.
Durham Public Schools confirmed the lockdown, and early accounts indicated officers were on campus to investigate a possible weapon, according to WRAL, which also noted the school typically dismisses at 4:15 p.m. on weekdays. Officials did not immediately share details about what prompted the report or whether anyone had been detained.
Where families should look for updates
Jordan High is part of Durham Public Schools and is located in southwest Durham, according to Durham Public Schools. District families are being urged to rely on official school and law-enforcement channels for any reunification or safety instructions, instead of turning to unverified social media chatter while the situation unfolds.
Local context: recent school safety scares
Wednesday’s lockdown follows a string of recent school safety scares in the Triangle. Jordan was placed on a similar “secure status” in March, as reported in coverage of the school’s secure status in March. In February, Millbrook Magnet High School in Raleigh went into a Code Red lockdown when officers found a student carrying a loaded gun, according to ABC11.
Under state law, any student found to have brought a firearm to campus faces a mandatory 365-day suspension, although a superintendent can modify that penalty in writing, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. Authorities and Durham Public Schools had not released further information about Wednesday’s response at the time of publication. This story will be updated if additional details are provided by the district or law enforcement, and initial details were previously reported by WRAL.
