01 May 2024 , 18:09
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A Wisconsin school district has been plunged into a terrifying lockdown as reports are coming in of an active shooter "armed with a rifle" near the campus.
Taking to Facebook to warn the community about the ordeal, the Mount Horeb Area School District chillingly wrote at 12.33pm local time (CDT): "Community members, there has been an active shooter at our middle school this morning. The individual did not breach entryway. Police department is helping to scope out our building to ensure the safety of our students and staff."
It continued: "Please do not come to the middle school. We are in the process of activating our reunification plan and further details will be provided."
A second post, shared at almost the exact same time, added: "Vikings, at 11:16 a.m. this morning, the District is on full lockdown. Please do not come onto school campus. We will direct you with further instructions as soon as possible. The safety and security of our students and staff is paramount. We are following our emergency protocols. We will update you when we have more information to share."
At 12.47pm, the district said the students were still in lockdown and that they "will remain in hard lockdown throughout all of our buildings." Officials added that law enforcement is on the scene and "circulating throughout the middle school to confirm the safety of all students."
The threat was reportedly "neutralized outside the building," but it remains unclear if that meant the shooter was killed by law enforcement or apprehended. Not much about the perpetrator is known, just that they were reportedly carrying a rifle with which they intended to cause a "mass casualty event."