School administrators locked down three campuses in northeast Bakersfield Monday afternoon after a neighbor spotted two teens running with a shotgun.
With tension over school shootings up, concerned parents flooded the 17 Newsroom with calls.
As Bakersfield police officers converged on the corner of Brock Way and Eissler, even our photographer fielded questions from concerned onlookers.
Police say someone spotted two teens running through the neighborhood.
"One of them possibly carrying a firearm, concealed in a case," said Sgt. Glen Grundeis, BPD.
Across the street, Eissler Elementary, Chipman Junior High and nearby Highland High went on lockdown.
It turns out the the neighbor was right. Officers say the teens ditched the shotgun they had been carrying, near some bushes.
Both were arrested.
"We did, we locked down three of the schools, probably about 15 or 20 minutes and we recovered the firearm," said Grundeis.
But, officers say this was no repeat of the attack at Taft High School.
The teens had broken into a nearby home and the gun was among their spoils. The firearm had nothing to do with the school campuses.
Still, parents were on alert.
"Well, anytime you have somebody with a firearm, we are going to be concerned about it. But, it seems in this case it wasn't an attack against the school, it was a loss in a burglary," said Grundeis.
Police arrested 19-year-old William Sanchez and another teen under 18. Both were booked on charges of burglary, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy.
