Desert Wind Middle School was placed on lockdown today after an unverified report of a firearm on campus, school officials said.

In a message to parents, Principal Aidan Balt said there is no confirmed threat and that students and staff “remain secure in their classrooms under the direction of school personnel.”

Maricopa police are on scene and working with administrators as the investigation continues, according to the statement. Reporters observed 12 squad cars on campus, while a large group of parents congregated near the parking lot, sending texts and calls with eyes focused on the doors.

However, the school asked families not to come to campus, on Honeycutt Road in the city’s Tortosa neighborhood, saying additional traffic could interfere with law enforcement’s response.

“We w

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