WALKER, Mich. — A local elementary school went on lockdown Thursday afternoon after reports of a man, possibly armed with a weapon, suffering from a mental health episode nearby.
It happened just after 12 p.m. Thursday.
The Walker Police Department responded to the area near Cummings Elementary School on Schoolcraft Street help the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office with the welfare check.
Officers found the man in the woods, just south of the elementary school.
Walker officers stayed at the school to help clear the playground and maintain a visible security presence at the school, while others worked to take the man into protective custody.
Investigators say he was compliant and taken to the hospital for mental and medical evaluations.
Walker PD says, “Cummings Elementary staff and students did an amazing job responding to the sudden interruption of normal activities, doing as trained for this type of unfolding situation.”
Investigators add that the man had no ties to the school, nor did he go on school property.
They say the lockdown was done out of an abundance of caution, and no one was hurt.
Grandville Public Schools also sent a letter to district families to notify them of the situation. District administrators said, “Our students and staff did a great job responding to the lockdown situation. We are grateful to the Walker Police Department, the Grandville Police Department and Safety Director Mark Easterly for their guidance and expertise during this brief and stressful situation.”
The district says Walker PD lifted the lockdown at 12:45 p.m.
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