ELYRIA, Ohio — A Lorain man was arrested Thursday after reports of a man with a gun in an elementary school parking lot prompted a brief lockdown, according to a media release from the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived at Westwood Elementary School in Elyria shortly after noon, they discovered a suspicious male parked in the visitor’s lot. He was “tactically” removed from the vehicle, according to deputies, prompting a search that revealed a “9mm firearm with an extended magazine” beneath where the suspect had been sitting.
The lockdown was lifted at 12:20 p.m., according to school officials, and no additional threats were discovered.
The suspect, Daymarion Whitten, was taken to Lorain County Jail. According to officials, he was charged with a variety of felonies related to firearm possession. He reportedly had a prior felony conviction.
“I’m proud of the quick response by deputies who contained the incident and prevented it from turning into a violent situation,” Sheriff Jack Hall said in a statement. “This is also a true case of ‘see something, say something’ as a parent quickly reported the situation to school authorities.”
Authorities stated that they “were not aware of the subject’s intentions,” but FOX 8 News has inquired about a motive.
