Acting on a tip, Lathrop Police took a student into custody on Tuesday that was carrying an imitation firearm on campus.

According to the agency, school resource officers were notified that an unidentified student had a weapon on them while on campus and initiated an immediate investigation – apprehending the suspected pupil and searching them and their belongings.

Officers discovered an imitation firearm – it was identified as an “air-soft” gun, which often look like realistic firearms but shoot small plastic projectiles either by spring or a gas-blowback mechanism – and took the student into custody on charges of possessing an unauthorized weapon on school grounds.

In a release announcing the arrest, Lathrop Police said that there were “no active safety concerns” to the Lathrop High School campus, and noted that those in the community that see or hear of something suspicious should contact the agency by calling 911 for emergency situations and 209.249.1800 for non-emergencies.

Manteca Unified officials – in connection with Lathrop Police – issued a “secure campus” order that in effect sheltered students in their classrooms until the situation could be reconciled.

School administrators eventually lifted the order at 10:20 a.m. after Lathrop Police had the student and their belongings in their possession and had identified that the suspected weapon was an imitation firearm.

“We are aware that there may be social media footage circulating of the student being removed from class,” Lathrop High School Principal Melissa Beattie said in a statement issued to parents on Tuesday. “I am sharing this information with you to help prevent rumors and misinformation from spreading.

“All students are safe, and appropriate disciplinary and support measures are in place.”

Due to the persistence of mass casualty events at school campuses across the country, both Manteca Unified and the Lathrop Police Department have protocols in place for how to respond to potential threats – even going so far as to hold simulation drills with multiple agencies to coordinate responses and cut down on potential communication or execution issues in the event of a real emergency.

In her statement to parents and the wider Lathrop community, Beattie noted the existence of the district’s emergency plan and encouraged parents to look up the details of the plan and inform themselves of any terminology that may be used during a potential emergency and what that means.

“The District, including Lathrop High School, has an emergency plan in place which outlines preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery to keep students and staff safe and the community informed,” Beattie said in her statement. “A secure campus is just one method of urgent response. To learn more about our planned responses including other safety terms that could be communicated, visit our district’s safety webpage here: www.mantecausd.net/safety.”

To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.