CLEMMONS, N.C. — West Forsyth High School was 'on secure' after district officials said the administration "confiscated an inoperable part of a weapon" at the campus on Wednesday.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools describes 'on secure' as "Get inside, lock the doors."
Brent Campbell, Chief Communications & External Relations Officer for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools said the school is no longer 'on secure.' Officials said a student brought a piece of a weapon to campus and no one was hurt.
Several parents reached out to WFMY News 2 about what was happening. Here's what we know.
- WS/FCS said there was never a lockdown.
- WS/FCS and Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said there was NOT an active shooter situation.
- WS/FCS said a student brought a "piece of a weapon" to the school and no one was hurt.
HERE'S WHAT WAS SENT TO PARENTS:
Campbell said this message went out to West Forsyth parents:
"West Forsyth High School received a tip this morning of a potential weapon on school grounds. As we began the investigation, our administration decided to place our school in a Secure & Hold protocol to exercise extreme safety and caution as we completed the full investigation.
In coordination with Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, we confiscated an inoperable part of a weapon and after a full investigation determined there was no operable weapon or threat on our West campus."
Lori Wyatt's son goes to West Forsyth she recalled how she felt when her son texted her about what was happening at school.
"I automatically just freaked out and started crying because the thought of losing my child. I just couldn't handle it," Wyatt said.
Wyatt encourages fellow parents to be watchful of what their kids are bringing on campus.
"They should keep their eyes open a little bit more and be more weary of what's going on because people care about their children and they're here to learn not worry about getting killed," Wyatt expressed.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SECURE AND LOCKDOWN AGAIN?
This information is from the WS/FCS website:
The term "Secure" is used when there is a potential threat that can be mitigated by bringing everyone inside. It should be announced with the directive "Get inside. Lock outside doors," which signals to bring people in and lock exterior doors. While it calls for heightened situational awareness, it also allows for indoor activities to continue. The term "Lockdown" means there is an active or imminent threat inside or nearby requiring immediate protective action. It is followed by the directive "Locks, Lights, Out of Sight" and requires locking classroom doors, turning out the lights, and remaining hidden until first responders arrive. Effectively if the threat is outside the building, Secure. If the threat is inside the building, Lockdown.
The sheriff's office said in a statement:
"The sheriff's office would like to remind people that when they see something on social media, they should send it immediately to investigators and reach out to verify the authenticity and not share it as that makes it harder for investigators to trace where it originated, and it spreads fear often for no reason."
We're working to learn more about what happened. Check back for updates in this story.