DeSoto superintendent: Lockdown at West Elm Elementary after reported threat; campus cleared, no active shooter
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Smith told the DeSoto County School District board a reported threat triggered a lockdown at West Elm Elementary; law enforcement cleared the building by about 12:30 p.m. and the district communicated with families via ParentSquare. Dr. Smith praised the response and said officials would debrief and pursue prosecution if warranted.
Superintendent Dr. Smith told the DeSoto County School District board on March 24 that a reported threat prompted a lockdown at West Elm Elementary and that law enforcement quickly cleared the campus with no active shooter.
"I want to begin by emphasizing the purpose of the lockdown is to protect students and staff, and that that procedure worked out exactly as it was intended," Dr. Smith said, adding: "At no point was there an active shooter on campus, so I ought to be clear about that." He said the threat was called in to the sheriff's department at approximately 11:58 a.m., the lockdown was initiated shortly thereafter, and law enforcement completed multiple clearings of the building and had the situation under control by about 12:30 p.m.
The superintendent said Principal Black notified families through ParentSquare at 12:43 p.m. and followed up with a Facebook post to ensure timely communication. He praised the "outstanding" response by the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department and Arcadia Police Department and said the district would debrief with city police and meet with Sheriff Potter to tighten procedures.
Dr. Smith urged parents not to "read in social media too much" until the district and police complete their work and emphasized that the site is a police scene while officers investigate. He said the district believed the report came from an outside source and vowed to pursue prosecution for prank calls or other intentional false reports: "If we can catch whoever ever makes a prank, I will prosecute them. I will demand that they're prosecuted by the state's attorney's office."
Board members who spoke after the report echoed praise for teachers, staff and first responders. Miss Mercer and others said they were grateful for the quick, calm work of school employees and law enforcement and noted the incident underscored the district's focus on safety.
The district's next steps, as stated in the meeting, include a debrief with law enforcement and an internal review of procedures; Dr. Smith said he will meet with the sheriff's office later in the week to discuss tightening response protocols.
