Around 2:50 p.m. Aug. 27, Progress Elementary in Baton Rouge was placed on a temporary lockdown after a parent reported someone fired at their car while en route to pick up a child; officials say the shooting occurred off school property and the campus has since reopened.
Progress Elementary was placed on lockdown at about 2:50 p.m. after reports of gunfire in the area.
EBR Schools initiated the lockdown out of caution and issued a statement confirming officers had cleared the campus.
Progress Elementary in Baton Rouge was briefly placed under lockdown Thursday afternoon after reports of shots fired near the school. The initial call came in at about 2:50 p.m.
A parent who was on the way to the school reported that someone fired shots at their vehicle. School district officials told WBRZ the shooting did not occur on school property.
How the school and police responded
East Baton Rouge (EBR) Schools put the campus into lockdown "out of an abundance of caution," then contacted law enforcement. Police responded promptly and conducted a thorough check of the surrounding area. After the search, EBR Schools reported the campus was no longer under lockdown.
EBR Schools released a brief statement confirming the parent's report and clarifying the incident happened off campus. The district emphasized the decision to lock the school was precautionary and coordinated with law enforcement.
Confirmed by the school district and local reporting:
Local news outlets have reported similar incidents in the area in recent weeks, including other temporary school lockdowns tied to nearby shootings or search operations. Those past reports indicate law enforcement and school districts typically lock campuses while officers secure and canvass neighborhoods.
Why this matters to parents and caregivers
A lockdown is intended to reduce risk by keeping students and staff inside secure classrooms while police verify whether a threat exists on or near campus. Even when the incident occurs off campus, nearby gunfire can create traffic disruption, confusion in pickup and dismissal procedures, and emotional distress for students, staff, and families.
Practical steps for families after this kind of incident
CLINTON - A Clinton school was placed on lockdown Monday morning due to a gunfight in a nearby neighborhood. Clinton Police Chief Ned Davis said two people started arguing Sunday evening. It continued into Monday morning and escalated to gunfire around 9:30 a.m. along Roosevelt Street, which is near both Silliman Insti
Students are now being reunited with their families, authorities confirmed.
KIPP confirmed that no students or staff were harmed during an incident involving a parent and an unaffiliated individual in southwest Houston.
A reported shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro, Virginia, has been "contained," according to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. "All Westwood students, teachers, and staff are accounted for and are safe," Waynesboro Public Schools posted on social media, adding that the school was reuniting stu
BATON ROUGE - A man was found with a gunshot wound off Hooper Road on Tuesday morning. An East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office spokesperson told WBRZ that the shooting happened at a different location, but that he was found along Corlett Drive around 6:50 a.m. His wounds appear to be non-life-threatening, the spoke
BAYOU VISTA - Bayou Vista Elementary School was put on lockdown Wednesday afternoon as deputies searched for three armed robbery suspects, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office said. SMPSO said two suspects were already in custody as of 2:55 p.m., but a third was still on the run. He was taken into custody 30 minutes la
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.