Benicia Middle School was placed on a temporary precautionary lockdown Tuesday morning after a student claimed to have seen a man carrying a gun at the church across the street, police said.

According to a Benicia Police Department Facebook post, a Benicia Middle School student reported seeing a suspicious person carrying a gun in his waistband at the parking lot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which is located directly across the street from BMS on Southampton Road. After receiving the report, the administration initiated a shelter in place and made sure the school was secure before contacting the police, Benicia Unified School District Special Services Director Carolyn Patton said. Numerous officers were dispatched as the school was placed on temporary lockdown around 8:35 a.m. The school also contacted the other district sites to let them know a shelter was in place, and BMS students remained in their classrooms with the doors locked, Patton said.

According to Lt. Mike Greene, the officers searched the area until they determined it was safe for students to return to their classrooms.

“The staff did a good job thoroughly searching the area and communicating with the school,” he said. “Because of the close proximity to the school, we’d rather be safe than sorry.”

The lockdown was lifted shortly before 9 a.m. after officers determined there was no threat to the school or students. Principal Damian Scott sent out an email and robocall to parents informing them of the incident and assuring them their children were safe. Calls were also made to the other district schools to let them know the lockdown had been lifted, and no similar reports were made at other sites.

“It went off without a hitch,” Patton said. “It was a good practice drill, even though it was a real one.”

The police were unable to locate the gunman but noted that he is believed to be a white male.

In an unrelated incident a few hours later on the same street, police found 46-year-old Oakland resident Mario Tachiquin on an outstanding arrest warrant. He was booked into the Solano County Jail.

Anybody with information regarding the alleged gunman is asked to call the Police Department at 745-3411.

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