Arizona parents tased, arrested for attempting to enter school during a lockdown

Three parents of students in El Mirage, Arizona, were arrested when they attempted to enter their children’s school during a lockdown triggered by reports of an armed person who had attempted to get onto the campus.

The parents were arrested by police as they tried to get into Thompson Ranch Elementary School after officials announced a lockdown of the building due to an armed individual reportedly trying to enter the school campus. Police tased two of the parents as they attempted to help a third parent whose firearm fell from his person while police were arresting him. One of the parents was taken to a local hospital to be treated for injuries from the stun gun.

Police say the threat that had prompted the lockdown had already been eliminated by the time the parents attempted to enter the school to protect their children, and authorities were in the process of preparing to reunite parents and students when the parents arrived on scene.

“Several parents continued with their agitation, made several statements that they were going to come on campus to help protect their kids. As a parent I understand that philosophy. However, there are procedures that law enforcement and the school were following,” said El Mirage police Lieutenant Jimmy Chavez.

The incident occurred in the wake of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas in May, which prompted a national conversation about police responses to school shootings. There are several ongoing investigations into the response to that shooting, which left 19 students and 2 teachers dead.