Durham Reporter

The Durham County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a student allegedly carrying a gun at Riverside High School on Tuesday morning. The incident led to an immediate lockdown after the tip was received shortly after 10:00 a.m. Authorities quickly determined that the student in question was not present on campus.

Following the lifting of the lockdown at 10:25 a.m., another anonymous tip suggested that a different student had brought a firearm onto campus. The student was located but found not to be in possession of any weapon.

Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead addressed the situation, emphasizing the importance of responsible use of the anonymous tip line. He stated, "We want students and staff to feel safe in our schools." Sheriff Birkhead further noted, "Calling in regarding a threat is something we encourage however when those tips are false, it creates fear and uncertainty for the school community and a safety issue for the campus, first responders and the community as a whole."

The sheriff's office urges parents to discuss with their children the implications of using such tip lines, highlighting that false reports can have significant consequences for all involved.