Samo undergoes lockdown due to nearby police activity

At 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, Samohi went on a full lockdown. At about 12:15 p.m., an armed robbery occurred in the area of 6th St. and Bay St.  Three suspects were involved in the crime and were last seen walking into a building in the 700 block of Pico.  Officers were able to locate one of the three suspects and recovered the probable weapon in the building, according to SMPD Lt. Saul Rodriguez said in a statement provided to the media.Because the incident occurred just before lunch, SMPD placed the school on lockdown for precautionary reasons and to not allow Samo students in the area of the incident.Students were held in class as teachers followed lockdown procedure, turning off lights, shutting blinds, and locking doors. Initially, tensions were high on campus as teachers and students scoured social media to determine the cause of the lockdown. About thirty minutes into the lockdown, it was discovered that the lockdown was due to an incident off-campus, and the anxiety eased.The lockdown was lifted at 1:40 p.m., at which point students were able to eat lunch and use the bathroom. In his email to the staff, thanking them for their quick response, Dr Shelton explained the reason for the lockdown.“SMPD debated whether we should be in a lockdown or a shelter-in place; it was decided that a lockdown was most appropriate.  The decision was to protect students and staff who were on campus. “