Other schools in area placed on lockdown

The shooting of three Las Vegas police officers at an apartment complex just east of the Strip had a domino effect at nearby schools Friday.

Orr Middle School and Petersen and Thomas elementary schools were placed on lockdown just after 2 p.m., soon after police weathered gunfire while responding to a domestic violence call.

Hundreds of parents, relatives and friends waited outside Petersen at 3:45 p.m., more than 30 minutes after the school day typically ends.

"At least they're safe in there," said Paula Goeringer, who waited under an umbrella for her third-grade son, Jason, to be let out of Petersen.

Goeringer was disappointed school officials didn't update parents on when they expected the lockdown to end. "We haven't heard a thing from them," she said.

The district's Web site provided updates on the lockdown throughout the process.

Molly Brown, who has one child at Petersen and another at Orr, said she understands the need for schools to be locked down, but the precaution makes her feel helpless.

"It makes me realize how vulnerable we are when we're not in control," Brown said. "I feel totally powerless over my own kids."

Parents at Orr had a longer wait than those at Petersen. At 4 p.m., almost two hours after the school day ends, Stephen Bradford was still waiting to pick up his seventh-grade daughter, Amarah.

"I waited eight hours for her to be born," Bradford said. "I got a few more hours to wait, especially for her safety."

The lockdown at the three schools ended about 4:30 p.m., a district spokeswoman said.

Students not immediately picked up were taken by bus to Eldorado Freshman Academy on Maryland Parkway to wait.