Three Gwinnett County schools went into soft lockdown Thursday as police activity shut down major roads nearby, keeping students and staff inside while classes continued as normal. Mountain View High School, Twin Rivers Middle School and Freeman’s Mill Elementary School were all affected, with entry and exit restricted for the duration of the lockdown.
The lockdown applied to Mountain View High School, Twin Rivers Middle School and Freeman’s Mill Elementary School, according to Atlanta News First. Law enforcement blocked Lena Carter Road, Old Peachtree Road and Braselton Highway while officers worked in the area, the station reported. At Mountain View High School specifically, a family message indicated that all students and staff were required to remain inside during the lockdown, with entry and exit restricted while normal activities continued inside the building.
What Triggered the Lockdown
During the soft lockdown, nobody could enter or exit the school buildings while normal activities resumed inside, per the same Atlanta News First report. A Gwinnett County Public Schools spokesperson said nearby police activity prompted the lockdown as a precaution, and the spokesperson said the activity was not related to the schools themselves, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. The district did not provide details about the underlying police activity, nor did it offer an estimated end time for the lockdowns, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
Information about the situation was provided by the Gwinnett County Schools Police Department and the Gwinnett County Police Department, per FOX 5 Atlanta's report. Braselton Highway remained closed in all lanes between Lena Carter Road and Old Peachtree Road, with no estimated reopening time given, and drivers were encouraged to avoid the area if possible.
Marshals Search Tied to May Homicide
The U.S. Marshals Service was searching nearby for Kean Wiggins, a 35-year-old from Troy, New York, who is wanted for homicide in the May 6 death of Shardonay Tyce, Atlanta News First reported. Marshals had offered a reward of up to $7,500 for information leading to Wiggins’ capture, according to the same report.
A Recent Precedent for School Lockdowns
Gwinnett schools have faced soft lockdowns before under very different circumstances. A separate report from Gwinnett Daily Post described several Gwinnett schools going on soft lockdowns after threats were called in, threats that later turned out to be hoaxes. In that earlier case, the lockdowns similarly prevented anyone from entering or exiting the building while teaching and learning continued inside.
