Stranger on Waimea School Campus Prompts Lockdown

***Updated at 12:30 p.m. with additional details.***

Police were called this morning to Waimea Elementary School after receiving a report of a stranger on campus.

Hawaii Police Department spokeswoman Chris Loos said at 7:56 a.m. police received the report of a man in his 20s approaching a fourth-grade student. The 10-year-old boy reported the incident to school authorities who called police.

In a statement issued later, police said unknown man had been seen chasing the 10-year-old boy on the school campus. Another student also reported the incident to school officials as a stranger on campus, police said.

The stranger apparently left the campus shortly thereafter.

A lockdown was initiated immediately at that school and the adjacent Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School during which students were confined to classrooms. Classes were about to begin when the lockdown was initiated.

Waimea Middle Community Liaison Patti Cook said when the lockdown began the school activated its automated telephone system to notify late-arriving parents not to drive onto the campus until the situation was resolved, at which time an all-clear message was sent out.

Responding officers secured the schools’ perimeter and began a sweep of the campuses. No sign of the man was found and the lockdown was lifted at about 8:38 a.m.

The man was described as Asian with a short and stocky build. He had black spikey hair and was wearing red-and-black shorts.

Loos said a trespassing investigation has been inititated.

“We are pleased that the students followed proper procedures, which is to report all strangers,” Loos told Big Island Now.