MEDIA RELEASE (1/11/2013 at 9:04 a.m.)

Waimea Elementary and Middle Schools – both schools – are in lockdown due to a reported incident on campus. The police are on campus to assist and students have been brought into classrooms. No one is injured – all students, faculty and staff are safe. No cars are being allowed on campus. Families are asked to listen to the radio for updates – please do not come to campus. If you have questions, call the school offices.

Waimea Middle School: 887-6090 Ext. 222

Waimea Elementary School: 887-7636 Ext. 221

UPDATED (1/11/2013 at 9:13 a.m.)

By Hawaii 24/7 Staff

The campuses of Waimea Elementary and Middle Schools are no longer in lockdown as of 8:38 a.m. Friday (Jan 11).

According to campus officials shortly before the start of school at 8 a.m. a fourth grade elementary school student reported that he was chased by a person across a field on campus.

Hawaii County Police were notified and a number of officers happen to be nearby on a training exercise and were dispatched to the campus. The police then asked that both schools, which share the same campus, to be placed in lockdown.

Officers interviewed the student and determined that the student was coming across the field and a person ran behind the student then later calmly walked off campus. Police have a description of the individual and ere seeking their whereabouts.

Both schools were taken off lockdown status about 8:38 a.m. There were no injuries or other incidents during the event.

POLICE MEDIA RELEASE(1/11/2013 at 12:24 PM)

Hawaiʻi Island police responded Friday morning (January 11) to a report of a stranger on campus at Waimea Elementary School.

In response to a 7:56 a.m. call, officers learned that an unknown man had been seen chasing a 10-year-old boy on the school campus. Another student reported the incident to school officials as a stranger on campus.

As a precaution, both Waimea Elemenatry School and Waimea Middle School, which are located on the same property, went on lock-down for about 35 minutes.

Police investigation later determined that the man on campus was a relative of the boy and that they had been playing.