"Normal day" once again at St. Monica's after lockdown

By Megan Baldino (mbaldino@wsbt.com)

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Police requested St. Monica’s School on West Mishawaka Avenue be locked down after a report of shots fired in the 200 block of West Grove Street behind the school, Jan. 8, 2008. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Jan 8, 2009 at 7:58 AM EST

Story Updated: Jan 8, 2009 at 1:20 PM EST

MISHAWAKA — A Mishawaka school is open again after police had to lock it down Thursday morning.

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The situation at St. Monica's Catholic School started just as children were arriving for the day. The school was asking parents not to bring their children in during the lockdown.

It all started when police received a report of gunshots in the 200 block of West Grove Street behind the school. It was in an alley behind a home on that street where police say the shots were fired, causing some very tense moments.

It was around 7 a.m. when the chaos began.

“I was just getting up for work and I just hear gunshots outside my place,” said Matt Zillman, who lives on West Grove Street. “I quickly ran down to check on my sister and the kid — they're fine.”

Zillman secured his family, while across the street Pastor Jeffrey Largent secured the students at St. Monica's School.

"We do whatever police tell us to do, and in this case because the house is right across the street we put all the students in the church basement,” said Largent.

Police say two men were seen running down the alley just after the shots were fired. Police were able to trace footprints to a home.

“Initially they wouldn't come outside,” said Mishawaka Assistant Police Chief Mike Samp. “Eventually they did come to the door. We were able to locate several shell casings in holes inside the home, and shell casings outside the home.”

Eventually they found the gun.

The two men remain in custody. Police are trying to figure out what led to the shooting, but are thankful no one was hurt.

“Everything’s back to normal,” Largent said around 9 a.m. “Normal day.”

The students at St. Monica's were in lockdown for about 25 minutes before heading off to all-school Mass.

Parents were notified immediately and allowed to keep their child at home if they wanted, or to wait it out.

The home's owner was asleep in the house when all of this was going on. Police say he knows the two men and cooperated with the investigation. They say the men don't live there, but stay there on a temporary basis.

Police also say they've been to that house before. Samp would not say if drugs were an issue or not. He couldn't comment on that, but he said they are going to try and sort this out so there are not anymore problems with that home.

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