Wheaton school placed on lockdown for 30 minutes

Franklin Middle School in Wheaton was placed on lockdown - and all Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 schools were placed in a "secure and teach" mode - for about 30 minutes Thursday after a staff member reported seeing an unauthorized person trying to enter Franklin.

Police said the lockdown began around 1:30 p.m. and was lifted around 2 p.m.

Police have not found the man who attempted to enter Franklin, but they say there is no apparent threat to the community.

The person, described as a white male in his 50s wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt, a black jacket and credentials, knocked on a door and tried to access the school and then unplugged speakers that were outside of the school and playing music for a PE class, police said.

Police are still looking to speak with the man and are talking with neighbors. Police said they were unable to determine the type of credentials the individual was wearing.

Around the same time, a person was arrested for suspected vehicle tampering in the area of Franklin, police said. That person was not the same man related to the middle school's lockdown, police said.

"Secure and teach" is where all students and staff members are asked to remain in their classrooms and visitors are not allowed in the building.

In a note to the community, officials said safety and security "continues to be a top priority in our schools. As a district, we take a multifaceted approach to safety. Our schools explicitly teach students that if they ever see something or hear something, they should say something.

"Today, a teacher at Franklin modeled that important behavior by taking action when something didn't seem right."