Man with Gun Near School Sparks Fear, Lockdown

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An Oakland County school was briefly on lockdown Wednesday after a man walking from Royal Oak to Madison Heights carrying a long gun and holstered pistol aroused suspicion.

The lockdown at Lamphere High School was lifted around 12:20 p.m., almost an hour after officers interviewed the man near the school at 13 Mile near Interstate 35.

Police received “about a million 911 calls” as he man approached the school driveway, Madison Heights Police Officer Carey Spangler told The Detroit News.

Police determined the man wasn’t a threat, and charges are not expected.

“We had a citizen exercise his right to open carry, and he chose to exercise that right near the high school,” Spangler said. “He has since moved away from the area.”

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Police kept the man under surveillance as he walked the approximately 2½ -mile trip back to Royal Oak.

“We’ve dealt with this individual in the past,” Spangler said. “We know of him to exercise his right to open carry.”

Rita Lewis, the school district’s human resources director, told WWJ/950 News Radio that school district is an awkward position because Michigan state law allows “open carry” of weapons by individuals who have concealed weapons permits.

“An individual carrying a weapon onto school property is not addressed in the law,” Lewis said. “That is the dilemma for schools because we have an obligation to make sure our students and staff are protected.

“We also understand that they have the right, that’s the law.”

Because the man did nothing illegal, law enforcement authorities are in a tight spot as well, Madison Heights Police Chief Tom Kenyon said.

“Unfortunately it causes a great deal of concern for what seems to be the majority of the other citizens when they see someone exercising that right, so it puts us in a difficult spot, but we want to try to do our best to protecting everyone’s rights,” he said.