Updated 2:25 p.m.
A lockdown has been lifted at Richard Montgomery High School after police did not find any weapon within the school, according to Montgomery County Police and Montgomery County Public Schools. The school will remain in a shelter in place state until dismissal, said Jessica Baxter, Director of Public Information for MCPS. Police will remain on site to assist with dismissal out of an abundance of caution, according to Baxter.
The lockdown was enacted Friday afternoon because of the possible presence of a gun, Montgomery County Public Schools reported.
Rockville City Police tweeted at 2 p.m. Friday that the incident was a dispute involving students from Richard Montgomery High School and a neighboring school, which the police did not name.
“A handgun was allegedly displayed during the incident, which occurred off school property … Police continue to patrol the area,” RCPD tweeted.
The Montgomery County Police Department reported on Twitter that officers were on scene, “looking into the report of a weapon on campus and whether that report is legitimate.”
A student reported seeing someone with a gun, according to Shiera Goff, director of public information for the police department. She said the school went on lockdown at around 12:56 p.m.
Baxter shared a similar statement and said a student had reported seeing a gun outside the school building to a security guard, which prompted the investigation and lockdown. Police are continuing to monitor the area.
Earlier this week, police retrieved a pellet gun from Gaithersburg Middle School.
In September, parents complained about MCPS’ communication related to a lockdown at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School prompted by what turned out to be the false report of a gun.
Steven Alston Jr., formerly a student at Derwood’s Col. Zadok Magruder High School, was sentenced in December to 18 years in prison for attempted first-degree murder in a shooting in January 2022 in the school bathroom.
The charges arose from an incident where Alston, then 17, shot 15-year-old DeAndre Thomas with a ghost gun, leaving the victim with life-threatening injuries and rocking the Magruder community. Alston pleaded guilty to the charges in October.
The shooting triggered ongoing community conversations about the role of police officers in schools and the need for more student mental health services, better emergency communication systems and increased school transparency and date-sharing.
The district apologized to the Magruder community for miscommunication on the day of the incident. The family of the victim has filed a civil suit against Alston, which is pending in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
In response to that incident and other concerns, the school system has built out wellness centers in 19 MCPS high schools.
Additional details were not immediately available. This article will be updated.