By Moses Leos III
A suicidal man who was reported to be in possession of a firearm near Negley Elementary Tuesday forced officials to briefly place the school on a precautionary lockout.
Hays CISD Public Information Officer Tim Savoy said the school was in lockout mode for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. According to Savoy, there was no threat to the campus as a result of the incident.
Kyle Police Department Chief Jeff Barnett said officers received a call regarding a man and a woman at a residence in the Plum Creek subdivision who were arguing. The man reportedly had a handgun and was threating to harm himself.
The woman then described the man as leaving the residence. Barnett said due to the proximity of where the residence was to Negley, officers then notified the school and Hays CISD to make them aware of the situation and to enact safety procedures.
Police personnel were dispatched to the school and surrounding community to look for the suicidal man. Meanwhile, Barnett said the Kyle Fire Department, which was at Negley for a demonstration, assisted school officials with securing exits and entrances.
In a letter sent to parents, Negley principal Melody Crowther said that school officials had placed the school on a precautionary lockout at the request of Kyle Police.
A lockout, according to Crowther, is different and less restrictive than a lockdown.
“A lockout means activity within the campus remains normal, but no one may enter or leave the building,” Crowther said in her letter. “It also means any outside activity, such as recess, is postponed so that the students can remain indoors.”
Barnett said the incident ended after police found the man a few blocks away from the residence.
Barnett said that police safely detained the man and took him in for questioning. Negley resumed full operations at around 11:30 a.m.
“At no time was there a specific threat to the school, nor did the subject enter the school property,” Barnett said.