'Man With Gun' Report Near Peninsula School Prompts Brief 'Secure Campus' Protocol

SAN MATEO, CA — A secondhand report of a man with a gun prompted police and school officials to secure a San Mateo high school and an adult school Tuesday morning, police said.

Officers responded at 8 a.m. to East Poplar Avenue and North Delaware Street where they set up a perimeter to find the person.

The reported location of the person was close to San Mateo High School and San Mateo Adult School so officers worked with officials at each school to secure the campuses, according to police.

Officers learned during an investigation that a witness did not see a gun, but instead saw a youth simulate a gun with his hand in an argument, police said.

The argument between two boys and a man occurred in an area north of North El Dorado Street and East Poplar Avenue. The argument ended with all three people leaving in separate directions, according to police.

Police said they checked the campus and lifted a secure campus protocol after competing the search. A secure campus protocol means that classroom and office doors are locked and students and staff must stay inside
the school.

The gates to the school were also closed, but not locked, to deter someone from coming onto the school grounds.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident. Officials with nearby College Park Elementary School did not immediately return a call to say whether that school was also secured during the police search.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via Google Maps