According to Durham police, a 14-year-old student was allegedly robbed behind the school around 3 p.m. Afterward, the victim's mother got a rifle and searched for the culprits, said police. The woman was seen with the rifle in the woods near school property, but according to a preliminary investigation, she did not point it at anyone.
Shortly afterward, there were reports of a person seen carrying a weapon inside the school.
"At no point during the afternoon was there a weapon on the campus," said Riverside principal James Key. "No students had a weapon. However, due to the fact that anytime we're going to make decisions we're always going to err on the side of safety, we did go into lockdown safety mode to ensure that everything was safe and clear and secure."
About 400 students participating in after-school programs at Riverside High were restricted for a short time at about 4:30 p.m. as Durham police and the Durham County Sheriff's Department undertook a rapid deployment to search inside the school.
No weapons were found, and students were allowed to leave a short time later. Authorities said that no one was injured during the incident.
Investigators have questioned the mother and confiscated the rifle. No arrests have been made at this time, but police said the investigation into the incident is continuing.
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