Why Bettendorf school was locked down Tuesday
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School was locked down Tuesday. The school and police provided similar, but somewhat conflicting messages, to Local 4 News as to the reason.
Police think there was some misinformation before an order was served that led to the confusion.
Local 4 News received a tip today through the OurQuadCities.com app that the school was locked down Tuesday after a viewer saw our report on an incident at Davenport Central High School.
Father Jason Crossen, Our Lady of Lourdes pastor, told Local 4 News the school got word that a parent who lost custody was on their way to pick up a child at dismissal and was possibly armed and dangerous.
Crossen said the Scott County Sheriff and Bettendorf Police Department asked the school to go on lockdown until they could find this parent. After 10-15 minutes, the parent arrived in the parking lot “and was apprehended without incident and taken into custody, and has been in police custody since. They found a weapon in locked glove box.”
However, Bettendorf Police Chief Keith T. Kimball told Local 4 News “the initial information that came into 911 center from the caller was inaccurate and incomplete when the officers were dispatched.”
“So for precautionary safety measures officers drew their weapons when approaching the parent in question and a lockdown went into effect for precautionary measures until we could figure everything out,” Kimball said. “This was not a parental custody situation nor was there ever a gun displayed or threat ever made. The parent in question was picking up her child at the end of school as she does routinely every day. This particular day, however, it just so happened that there was a civil commitment order that the Sheriff’s office had to serve on her in order to get a mental health evaluation and they knew she was heading to the school to pick up her child. Due to this, arrangements had already been made in advance with a family member to come to the school to turn the child over to another family member. At the time this occurred the person in question never knew about the civil commitment order nor did she know anything about any arrangements made in reference to her child going with another family member. The parent was cooperative the entire time and turned over to a Scott County Sheriff’s deputy to be transported for an evaluation.”
Crossen said the school followed all standard policies and procedures to keep kids safe and an email was sent to parents. The school is working on “things to do better to communicate to teachers and parents” because parents arrived at dismissal to “squad cars in the parking lot and not allowed in school,” including installing a text system to notify parents.
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