ARLINGTON, Texas – An art class project went awry Sept. 11 when students covered in camouflage and carrying fake rifles prompted a police call from a passing motorist.
The Summit High School students were re-enacting scenes from the Vietnam War as part of their photography project.
Compounding the fears of police, who surrounded the campus armed with assault rifles, was the fact that the call came on the fifth anniversary of 9/11.
The school, which is located in Arlington about 20 miles southeast of Forth Worth, was locked down for 30 minutes. The 2,800 students resumed their normal school activities after it became apparent the police merely misunderstood the art class’ intentions.
The mock rifles were returned to the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) from which the students initially borrowed the firearms.