Harrison Central lockdown lifted; call was accidental

Harrison Central High School was on a lockdown this morning as a result of an accidental activation of the lockdown protocol.

Harrison County Superintendent Mitchell King said the call initiating a lockdown was an accident.

Each administrator has a phone that has access to the intercom to make an announcement or send out a pre-recorded message announcing a lockdown.

King said the message went out this morning about 9 a.m. — possibly by someone hitting the wrong button inadvertently. Law enforcement left the campus about 10:30 a.m. after clearing buildings to make sure there was no threat.

“I commend the fast action of our law enforcement,” King said.  “It was an accident as far as the callout going out, but we executed (our protocols) to the best of our ability and to the fullest extent of our plan.”

Parents who arrived at the school after hearing about the lockdown were kept outside the gates while law enforcement and first responders were on campus to make sure it was safe.

Law enforcement also created an orderly line for parents to facilitate those who wished to check students out of school.

Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said Gulfport Police and Mississippi Highway Patrol assisted his department in conducting building searches to make sure the campus was safe. He said when the call went out, the school resource officers were on campus and law enforcement were there within two minutes. “It was unfounded,” Peterson said of the call. “The school is safe; the kids are safe.”

This is a developing story and WXXV will update as more information becomes available.