Highland Park students walked out to demand gun control. Minutes later, the high school went on lockdown.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photos
- Highland Park students planned a walkout for gun control that was interrupted by concerns a student brought a gun.
- The walkout was in response to last year's July 4th parade massacre and the Nashville shooting last week.
- The school went into lockdown and police later took five students into custody, authorities said.
Highland Park High School students planned a walkout demanding gun control today, but the demonstrations were quickly interrupted by reports of a possible gun on campus.
The walkout was planned for 10:14am, the same time that the Highland Park July 4th parade shooting started just nine months before.
According to a letter from District 113 Superintendent Bruce Law obtained by ABC7 Chicago, the district received an anonymous tip shortly after the walkout started that a student allegedly had a gun.
The school went into lockdown, and the city released a statement alerting neighbors that there was a "heavy police presence" on campus in light of "a report of a student potentially in possession of a gun at school."
A video posted by ABC7 Chicago's Christian Piekos showed police active on campus.
—Christian Piekos (@ChristianPiekos) April 4, 2023
According to an update from Highland Park Police, the scene was declared safe later that morning.
"No shots were fired. The scene has been secured and law enforcement has confirmed that there is no credible reason to continue the lockdown at Highland Park High School," the update read.
The police added: "Five students have been taken into custody. No further information is available at this time."
Highland Park Police and Highland Park High School did not respond to Insider's request for further comment.
A video posted by ABC7 Chicago's Christian Piekos showed students released from the campus to their parents shortly after the lockdown was lifted.
—Christian Piekos (@ChristianPiekos) April 4, 2023
Seven people were killed and dozens injured during the Highland Park mass shooting last year. The incident occured during a July 4th parade. Some survivors described the terror of the shooting, including a mother hiding in elevator for an hour with her children and a father hiding his son in a dumpster to protect him.