Alexandria City High School Lockdown Lifted, Armed Student In Custody

UPDATED 6:08 p.m.

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria City High School's secure the building status and lockdown have been lifted after a student with a gun outside is in police custody Wednesday.

Principal Peter Balas sent a message to the community saying a student with a weapon was reported outside the school building. Around 9:15 a.m., the school contacted Alexandria Police, who took the student into custody and confiscated the weapon. School administrators and police located the student, who was detained at the school entrance.

The student, a male juvenile, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on school property.

The lockdown was "out of an abundance of caution," Balas said. There is no immediate threat, but Alexandria Police are actively investigating.

The school was initially in lockdown status with students remaining in classrooms. As of 12:10 p.m., that was changed to secure the building status, where students could move between classrooms but not enter or leave the building. As of 1:30 p.m., normal operations resumed.

In neighboring Arlington County, Washington-Liberty High School was on lockdown for several hours due to a potential active shooter. A police investigation found no evidence of a shooter or ongoing threat. Arlington Public Schools canceled school for the rest of the day for Washington-Liberty High School.