Toy Gun Causes False Alarm at Roosevelt School in Ferndale

There was a false alarm at Roosevelt Primary School on Friday after a student saw what looked like a gun in another student's backpack.

According to a press release from Ferndale Schools, a student reported to his teacher that he thought another student had brought what looked like a handgun to school in his backpack.

The teacher responded right away by reporting the student’s information to her principal. The principal then immediately notified the Ferndale Police Department. When the police arrived, they quickly determined that the item is not real, it is a toy.

"Although this was a potentially serious situation, school officials could not have handled this situation more appropriately," said Ferndale Police Chief Timothy Collins. "They followed all the proper protocol by isolating the item, calling the police, and allowing us to examine it. We determined that it is a toy."

Roosevelt Principal Dina Rocheleau spoke to her students about the importance of reporting concerns like this to an adult, and never handling dangerous objects.

“I’m proud of our student for reporting his concerns to the teacher, and I treated him to lunch in the cafeteria to show my appreciation," Rocheleau said in the release.

Ferndale Schools are taking the opportunity to encourage all families to remember how important it is to discuss safety measures with their children and how to handle incidents that concern them, the release states.

Anyone who observes a suspicious person, vehicle or circumstance, or a dangerous object (such as a knife or gun), either around school or in the area, should immediately alert an adult.