WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Larchmont Charter School went into lockdown Thursday after a man allegedly pointed a gun at an employee.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it received a call about a man with a gun outside the school. Video surveillance shows a man in the parking aiming what appears to be a rifle during drop-off.
Authorities said the man originally drove through the school parking lot playing loud music but drove off, Patch reports. He then returned around 8:35 a.m. and got in the drop-off line. When he reached the front of the line, he got out of his vehicle, retrieved the rifle and pointed it at the unidentified employee before returning to his vehicle and driving away. No one was injured.
According to an email sent to parents and families, school officials said the footage captured by the campus’ security cameras aided authorities in locating the suspect. He was taken into custody by Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputies in the 6800 block of Sunset Boulevard on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. A weapon, described as a “rifle-type pellet gun,” was also recovered.
During lockdown, parents told KTLA that their children hid with teachers and employees in classrooms where they avoided the windows.
Several parents claimed law enforcement’s response was too slow, that the principal had to call 911 several times, and that nearby schools weren’t notified.
“I started calling other parents who have children in the area,” said parent Anna Martin. “I asked the deputy if other schools had been notified once I found out the man was still at large. The answer was no.”
“The police did everything great once they got there,” Martin continued, “but there’s not enough of them and they can’t respond quickly enough if there aren’t enough,”
The suspect has not been identified but investigators said they do not believe he has any connection to school staff or students.
