Hefner Middle School on lockdown after weapon found on campus, student arrested

The update below has been sent to the parents of Hefner Middle School following the weapon violation incident this morning:

This is a follow-up on the weapon violation incident at Hefner Middle School this morning, January 12, 2024. First, we want to assure our students, staff, and families that there is no active threat at Hefner Middle School.

We have our campus police and security guards on site. Additionally, we know this is a stressful situation for everyone. Our highly- trained school counselors are available for students and staff. We want to thank our students, staff, police department, and families for their patience, diligence, and cooperation during this incident.

At this time, our Putnam City Campus Police Department has determined that the weapon was discharged one time in a bathroom by the student who is in custody. We have been able to confirm that the student was alone in the bathroom at the time of the discharge. There are no injuries associated with this incident, including the student.

The student was fully cooperative with school administration and police immediately following the discharge. The motive for this incident cannot be determined at this time. We can not provide any additional details regarding the student due to his age.

Lastly, we can provide some initial times of the incident. The student entered the building through the main entrance at approximately 7:11am. The weapon was discharged at approximately 7:36am. Lockdown was initiated at approximately 7:36:10am.

The student was detained and weapon secured at approximately 7:42am. Once the scene was determined to be safe and preliminary information gathered and confirmed for accuracy, communication was sent to Hefner families at 8:57am. We want to ensure that we will always follow the necessary procedures that put the safety of our students and staff at the forefront.

Original Report:

On Friday, Hefner Middle School in northwest Oklahoma City underwent a lockdown following the discovery of a weapon on campus.

As per reports, the student loaded a gun in the sixth-grade bathroom and discharged it, causing the ceiling to be struck.

Thankfully, all students are safe, with no injuries reported.

The student involved in the incident has been taken into custody.

Authorities from Putnam City Schools, located along North MacArthur Boulevard just north of West Wilshire Boulevard, confirmed the finding. However, they did not specify the type of weapon recovered.

The lockdown has been lifted, and district officials stated that classes have resumed as usual.

This is a developing story that will be updated when more information is available.