WAVERLY (KWWL) -
Waverly-Shell Rock Schools Superintendent Jere Vyverberg said Southeast Elementary School in Waverly was put on lockdown briefly Friday after an order from police.
Waverly Police Captain Jason Leonard said police ordered the lockdown because they were dealing with a suicidal man two blocks away from the school.
The lockdown started at 3 p.m. Friday and lasted for about 25 minutes, Vyverberg said.
No one was hurt.
Police said they transported a man to the Waverly Health Center.
According to a press release from the Waverly Police Department, a search of the residence did result in the recovery of a Glock .45 caliber handgun.
The incident came just hours after a massive school shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. That tragedy had parents of Waverly students concerned.
"It's terrifying," said Kelly Sampson of Waverly, who has a 5-year old daughter enrolled in kindergarten at Southeast. "When it's this close to home, it's very real," Sampson said.
"It's scary, frightening," said Kodi Rohne of Waverly. Rohne has a daughter enrolled in Southeast. "That's our kids in there... and they're precious and to think that somebody might go and do something like that or have something like this happen in our neighborhood and not know what's going on... it's the unknowns that are scary," Rohne said.
Both Rohne and Sampson praised the collaborative effort between the Waverly-Shell Rock School District and Waverly Police Department.
"I'm just so impressed what the school was able to do in that short amount of time and how organized they were," Rohne said.
Waverly Police Captain Jason Leonard said the department's training came in handy.
"We've had several incidents and occasions and stuff to actually train with the school and school staff," he said. "They're fully aware of how our response would actually be and we're fully aware of how their response is, and I think that's paramount to any school district."
Superintendent of Waverly-Shell Rock School District Jere Vyverberg said the school district has spent a year updating it's emergency response plan. The plan was finalized and released three weeks ago.
In fact, Margaretta Carey Elementary had just practiced a lockdown drill on Thursday according to the school's principal Micky Bahlmann.
"I won't tell you that we're perfect," said Vyverberg. "I think sometimes we all become a little bit complacent, but we just need to remember we need to do everything we can to keep people safe."
