Students secured as police search for suspect
Sophomore Dang Nguyen woke up and walked to school Feb. 21 just like any other day. However, as she arrived at 7:15 a.m., she was told she had just walked through a dangerous neighborhood with an armed robber on the loose.
“I was very annoyed,” Nguyen said. “I could have died this morning.”
According to principal Rob Metz, Park went into lockdown from 6:30-7:30 a.m. as St. Louis Park Police searched for a suspect near Minnetonka Boulevard and Hampshire Avenue. As a precaution, police conducted a K-9 search of the general area, which included the high school. Metz called superintendent Debra Bowers and decided it was safe for students to still come to school.
“Police were in control of the situation, and students would be safe,” Metz said. “I was fairly certain everything would be fine, and police were safely patrolling the area.”
As a precaution, all outside doors were locked until 7:30 a.m. A faculty member was at each entrance to the building to let students in. Students arriving early to school were told to go straight to the Media Center during the lockdown.
“We wanted everyone in one safe place,” Metz said. “The cafeteria was locked, and students were not allowed to be in the halls.”
According to Metz, police gave the all clear around 7:30 a.m. and approximately 50-100 students were allowed to enter the halls and proceed to their first hour class.
“The faculty did a fantastic job, they were terrific,” Metz said. “The situation was over before the first bus arrived.”
As a daily walker, Nguyen said she was disturbed that she walked through a dangerous neighborhood without hearing the news.
“I had no clue that anything was going on,” Nguyen said. “My safety was in jeopardy, and the school should have warned me. I never knew about it.”
Metz delivered an announcement during third hour, and all parents were emailed shortly after to notify everyone of the lockdown. Metz said all communication systems and safety procedures will be reviewed going forward.
“We are already meeting about how to notify students, staff and families quicker,” Metz said. “We have never practiced a lockdown before school hours. We need to revise our security measures and make sure we are ready for anything.”
