Reports Of Gun At Comstock Middle School Prompt Lockdown: Police

SANTA ROSA, CA — Hilliard Comstock Middle School was placed on lockdown and the campus was searched Friday afternoon after police received a report that someone on campus possibly had a gun, according to a Santa Rosa Police Department news release.

An administrator at the school located at 2750 W. Steele Lane called police at 4:52 p.m. and said a recently expelled student was seen on campus with a possible firearm, SRPD Sgt. Mike Clark said.

Although classes had already ended for the day, there was an after-school dance taking place which was why a lockdown was necessary, Clark said.

"Numerous officers responded and quickly secured the gymnasium while other officers began searching the campus and adjoining neighborhoods," Clark said.

Officers completed a search of the campus at about 5:30 p.m. and determined there was no threat at the school, police said.

The former student was eventually located at his residence. Upon speaking with him, officers determined he indeed was at the school Friday to meet up with some friends, Clark said.

The police investigation revealed that while the boy was on campus, an "unknown juvenile" started making comments on social-media platforms, saying the former student was at the school and was armed with a handgun, Clark said.

"The former student then began to receive social-media messages asking if he had a gun," Clark said. "The former student replied to the posts saying he was not armed and immediately left the campus."

SRPD did not release the names of any of the students involved because of their age.

"There was no gun found," Clark said in an email response to Patch. "After reviewing the social-media messages on the former student's phone, he also never sent any messages indicating he had a gun."

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