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Lockdown lifted at Ellison High School after reports of a weapon on campus

The lockdown came hours after the school was evacuated due to a small fire in an upstairs bathroom.

KILLEEN, Texas — The lockdown at Ellison High School was lifted shortly before 3:30 p.m. Friday after initially being place on lockdown due to reports or a weapon being on campus, Killeen ISD told 6 News.

The Killeen Police Department also gave the "all-clear" and said no weapon was found on campus, per KISD.

Killeen Police Spokeswoman Ofelia Miramontez said KPD officers were called to campus to assist KISD police "in reference to multiple fights." She did not have additional details.

A student at the high school shared video to 6 News of a reported fight that took place before the lockdown, they said. You can watch it below.

Story continues below.

Ellison Parents, our campus is currently being locked down due to a rumor of a weapon on campus. Killeen ISD takes all...

Posted by Killeen Independent School District on Friday, August 27, 2021

The lockdown came hours after students and staff were evacuated from an early morning fire that sparked in an upstairs bathroom. Authorities haven't confirmed if the two incidents are connected.

"The safety of all students and staff is our highest priority," KISD said in a Facebook update.

The fire department was called out to the school around 9:12 a.m. and found a small fire in the restroom upstairs, it said. The building was quickly evacuated.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is not known at this time.

"We are grateful for the quick response by the Killeen Fire Department and their continued support and communication with the school district," Killeen ISD stated.

Parents arrived at the school early to pick up their kids but were turned away as the campus was on a lockdown. 

Some parents spoke to 6 News when school let out after 4:15 p.m. One parent said they were fine with the district's decision to go on a lockdown and they were just glad their child was fine.

Kimberly Frieson a mother of a high school senior said she was very worried.

"I'm upset. I'm highly upset. I have made contact with the school and I'm waiting for an administrator to call me back but I just feel like there's a whole lot of lack of communication," Frieson said.

She added that she's still unsure of everything that took place at the high school Friday and she wants answers. 

"Parents are going to want to know what's going on, you know my child goes here. I've never heard anything crazy like this going on at Ellison so for me this is like a big surprise. At this point I'm just like you know what everybody is going to recuperate over the weekend because I definitely need some answers on Monday before she returns to school," Frieson said.

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