Barrow High School goes into lockdown after student brings handgun

A student brought a handgun to Barrow High School on Thursday morning, sending the school into lockdown, according to officials.

No one was hurt, and North Slope Borough police apprehended the student.

“To the best of our knowledge, no student or staff member was threatened,” Barrow High School Principal Mark Jenkins said in a statement.

Jenkins said the incident happened at 11:05 a.m., and school staff immediately went into lockdown and called the police. When police searched the school, they determined that the student suspected of being involved had left the building.

“The student was found and he is with the police now,” Jenkins wrote in the statement.

Robin Mongoyak, whose son is a senior at Barrow High School, said that the “students were in their classrooms lying on the floor with the lights out” when the incident happened.

“I was just shocked and scared,” Mongoyak added.

Jenkins praised the response from everyone at school, as well as the local public safety department.

He said: “I am sure some nerves have been stretched thin but our students and staff have handled themselves very well, and the police response was very fast and efficient.”