Report sends three schools into lockdown

A report of a man with a gun near L.B. Hill School, a special education school on Plano Street and College Avenue, sent three schools into immediate lockdown and one man to jail.

“There was one man arrested and no gun was found,” said Officer Dominic Barteau, police spokesperson. “The report was that there was a man down the street from the school, L.B. Hill School, at a house with a handgun. Officers responded and contacted the man. The gun was not found but he was arrested on a felony no-bail warrant.”

Arrested at the house was Manuel Fausto, 36.

The incident began with Porterville Police Department receiving a call at approximately 2:40 p.m. from a person at L.B. Hill School who reported seeing a man with a gun in the vicinity. The sighting prompted school officials to call 9-1-1 and warn two adjacent schools — Vandalia Elementary and Pioneer Middle School — of the situation.

“My understanding is they went into immediate lockdown. It’s something we do any time there is any situation such as this, especially with the lack of communication and not knowing,” said Porterville Unified School District Superintendent John Snavely. “I was pleased with the sites and their immediate decision to lockdown until we could get a better understanding of what was going on.”

The lockdown lasted only a few minutes. Before 3 p.m., the schools received an ‘all clear’ call.

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045. Follow her on Twitter @Avila_recorder.