‘Armed men’ were JROTC cadets practicing, troopers say

PALMER — Alaska State Troopers responded Friday morning to the campus of Colony Middle and Colony High schools for reports of armed men on the middle school campus.

Mat-Su Borough School District spokesperson Catherine Esary said troopers searched the two adjacent campuses Friday morning and confirmed the “armed” people in question were Colony High JROTC cadets performing drills.

Esary said after a school shooting in Ohio Monday that killed three students, Mat-Su Borough School District teachers, staff parents and students are perhaps a little edgy and mistook the cadets for armed intruders.

While troopers cleared the scene, students who were still on buses were kept there, students already in the schools were kept in their classrooms and other students were staged briefly at a church across Bogard Road from the middle school, she said.

Esary said the schools were in stay-put mode for 30 to 45 minutes Friday morning while troopers cleared the buildings. She said the doors of the schools were not locked. “Stay-put” means once students arrive in their classrooms, they must stay there, Esary said.

Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters confirmed officers determined the reported potential threat was JROTC cadets with their gear.

Esary said neither building was locked down and the school day returned to normal.

“All students are safe,” she said.

Contact reporter Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.