Schools in Portage, Indiana, were placed on lockdown Thursday morning after police received reports of men walking in the area carrying guns.
The Portage Police Department received multiple reports at 7:39 a.m. of two men walking near Mulberry Avenue and Brown Street carrying guns, police said in a statement. One of them was reportedly carrying a rifle or shotgun while the other had a handgun.
One of them had long hair and was wearing a yellow shirt, a black jacket and blue jeans while the other wore an orange shirt with a holster on his hip, police said. They were initially reported to be teenagers, but police were later told that they appeared to be in their early 20s.
Officers responded to the area but did not locate the men, police said. They may have gone into a house nearby.
Portage Township Schools and private schools in the area were all placed on a soft lockdown because the men were spotted a few blocks away from Febely Middle School. 5384 Stone Ave. in Portage, police said. An officer has been stationed at each school.
“Because we do not know what, if any intentions these subjects had we are ensuring that our schools are safe and that staff, parents, and student’s minds can rest a little easy knowing that we are out there,” Police Chief Troy J. Williams said in a statement.
