Sterling schools placed on lockdown for second time in a week

STERLING — For the second time in a week, Sterling Public Schools enacted their crisis plan and locked down buildings districtwide.

According to the district’s website, Sterling Public Schools locked down buildings across the district at 1:34 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, after receiving a report of a suspicious person with what looked like a weapon, on a bike, near a school. Students and staff members stayed in their classrooms, inside the buildings.

According to a Sterling Police Department news release, the police department was notified by Sterling Public School personnel of a subject on a bike, traveling near Challand Middle School, 1700 Sixth Ave., Sterling, who was possibly carrying a firearm. Police responded to the scene and attempted to locate the bicyclist.

Through video, Sterling officers were able to identify the male, who was located several blocks away from schools. The investigation revealed the man had been in possession of a BB gun when observed in the area of Challand Middle School. At no time did he approach any schools or have contact with any students, according to the release.

The man was charged with disorderly conduct, according to police, and was released with a pending court date. The BB gun was located and taken into evidence by Sterling police.

According to the school district’s website, the Sterling Police Department notified Sterling Public Schools at 2:01 p.m. that it was safe to lift the lockdown. Students and staff members continued their regularly scheduled day.

Sterling Public Schools also were placed on a limited-access lockdown Tuesday, May 21, when two unrelated incidents led the city’s police department to ask school officials to enact their crisis plan.

According to a news release issued by Sterling Police Chief Alex Chavira, Sterling Public Schools contacted the Sterling Police Department’s school resource officer the morning of May 21 about potential threat information that the district had received. SPS learned of the potential threat information from a concerned parent. The parent reportedly learned of the potential threat from their child, an SPS student, according to the release.

Sterling officers and detectives responded to the area of Sterling High School. Simultaneously, the Sterling Police Department school resource officer initiated an investigation into the threat information.

At the same time, a Sterling officer conducted an unrelated investigative stop in the vicinity of Sterling High School for a traffic violation. A 15-year-old female was identified as the driver of the vehicle, and Jesse L. Hall, 40, of Sterling, was identified as a passenger, Chavira said.

Because of potential safety concerns arising from the traffic stop and the close proximity of the traffic stop to Sterling High School, police asked SPS administration to enact the crisis plan. SPS went into a limited-access lockdown districtwide until it was determined the two incidents were not related, Chavira said.

Hall was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and remains in the Whiteside County Jail, according to court documents. His next court appearance is 1 p.m. June 3 in Whiteside County Court.

The 15-year-old female driver was charged with not having a valid driver’s license and was released into the custody of her parent, according to the release.

Sterling police charged a second 15-year-old female with disorderly conduct based on the initial threat investigation conducted by the school resource officer, Chavira said. The teen was released into the custody of her parent.