Two minors were taken into custody Tuesday morning after authorities found an airsoft gun and several kitchen knives in their possession on the grounds of Mifflin Park Elementary School and Governor Mifflin Intermediate School, according to the Governor Mifflin School District.
Superintendent Dr. Lisa Hess said the two individuals were spotted during morning drop-off on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the far corner of the Intermediate School parking lot near the district’s transportation building.
The individuals were quickly identified as not being Governor Mifflin School District students and were stopped by a district School Police Officer and officers with the Cumru Township Police Department.
According to the district, the two minors and their belongings were searched, and authorities found an airsoft gun and several kitchen knives in their possession. Both were immediately taken into custody.
The district did not release additional information about the minors or why they were on school property, citing the ongoing police matter.
“We are incredibly thankful to our staff members, School Police Officers, and Cumru Police Department for their vigilance and swift action, which enabled us to swiftly identify a potential threat and remove the individuals from campus without incident,” Hess said in a message to district families.
Hess said district safety and security protocols allowed officials to maintain a safe and orderly school arrival despite the incident.
Tuesday morning’s incident comes just days after a separate safety concern prompted officials to end a Governor Mifflin High School football game early and evacuate the stadium on Friday, Aug. 28.
According to the district, the incident began during the third quarter when a fight was reported behind the scoreboard. School employees and the district’s athletic director were working to break up the fight as law enforcement responded.
At the same time, several students were seen running from the area and yelling that a student had a gun. Police then learned that a student had reported another student was in possession of a handgun. The district said the reported weapon and the fight were separate incidents occurring at approximately the same time.
The athletic director and police agreed to end the game and evacuate the stadium. A police officer went to the press box to assist with an announcement intended to facilitate a calm evacuation, while members of the high school administration established a reunification area for students inside the Governor Mifflin Athletic Community Center.
The district’s Director of Safe Schools and a high school administrator located the student who had reportedly possessed the weapon. The student was searched, but no weapon was found on the student or in the immediate area, according to the district.
Police subsequently secured and systematically searched the stadium and did not locate any weapons. The district said police later followed up with the person who initially claimed to have witnessed the weapon, and that individual denied seeing one.
District officials also addressed rumors that circulated following the evacuation, emphasizing that no weapon was found on an attendee or anywhere in the stadium and that no shots were fired. Anyone with evidence suggesting otherwise was asked to contact Shillington Police.
Counselors and school social workers were made available to students following the incident.
In addressing Tuesday morning’s incident, Hess acknowledged the close timing of the two events while emphasizing the response by staff and law enforcement.
“While this is undoubtedly an unsettling occurrence, especially in light of the incident which occurred Friday, August 28, the outcome of this situation is one of the best that we could ask for and is due to the strong partnership between our local law enforcement, as well as the thorough training and preparedness of our staff, administration, and Safe Schools team,” Hess said.
