MARION, Arkansas — Marion Police Department officers detained two teens at Marion High School after reports of armed students caused the campus to go on lockdown Friday morning on Sept. 20.
Officers with the Marion Police Department arrived at the school at around 10:20 a.m. following reports of two possibly armed individuals on campus according to a press release. Both of the suspects were detained roughly ten minutes later.
The detainees have been identified at 18-year-old Hezekiah Anderson and a 17-year-old boy. Both of them are charged with threatening to commit act of mass violence on school property and are set to appear in court on Monday, September 23rd. No injuries were reported.
Authorities did not find any weapons on the teens at the time they were detained.
ABC24 reached out to a spokesperson Marion School District regarding the incident. The spokesperson said they delivered the following message to families:
"At the Marion School District, we place a high premium on providing a safe and supportive school environment. When a safety issue arises at any one of our schools, we take it seriously. This morning, we were notified of an allegation involving students with weapons on the campus of Marion High School. The school was immediately placed on lockdown and Marion Police officers and Marion School District security officers quickly responded to the scene. The situation was investigated, and no weapons were found. The lockdown has been lifted, and students are resuming regular activities. As always, we will remain vigilant across our district for any safety concerns. We are grateful for the support of local law enforcement, and we are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure our students feel safe and supported at all times while at school."
Marion Police were assisted by the Arkansas Highway Police, Arkansas State Police, West Memphis Police Department and the Crittenden County Sheriffs Department.
The day before, Marion Police made a social media post saying they were "aware of information going around on social media", saying there would be an increased security presence on campus.
Marion Police Department said they working with the Director of Security of the Marion School District on getting students released over to parents. The department says a full press release will be put out later.
This incident is still being investigated, updates will be provided as more information is reveled.
