Law enforcement trains for active shooter scenario at Walnut Ridge High School

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (KAIT) -Local law enforcement spent Friday, June 5, inside Walnut Ridge High School, not for a call, but to train for the worst.

Officers from multiple agencies and schools ran active shooter drills inside the halls of Walnut Ridge High School, preparing for a day they hope never comes.

School may be out of session for students, but for local law enforcement, their classes have just begun.

Corporal Matthew Shutzius, a school resource officer with Walnut Ridge High School, said the drills are about making sure officers are ready when seconds matter most.

“Our children, that’s our future, so we want to train hard to be able to protect them better,” Shutzius said.

“Our main objective is to get our guys to go through this, so if it did happen, we are prepared and we know how to do it,” Shutzius said.

Jacob Kersey, Lawrence County School District superintendent, said the timing, with students out for the summer, makes it the perfect time to turn the building over to law enforcement.

“Our buildings aren’t exactly the best as far as safety goes because of their age. So, it maybe gives them a chance to go through some scenarios that, as far as training goes, could help them out,” Kersey said.

Shutzius said training in a real school gives officers a critical edge.

“It’s also really good for the Walnut Ridge officers and the other officers that are around, to know the layout of the school, so if it was to happen, they know where to come in the building, they know where to go,” Shutzius said.

Kersey said the district will do whatever it takes to make sure students can walk through those doors every day without fear.

“Anything that we can do to help our kids be safer on a daily basis is the utmost importance, so, we want to do whatever we can do, and we will go to any length we have to go to, to ensure their safety,” Kersey said.

Officers say they prepare for the worst-case scenario, so if it does happen, they can protect students.

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