BROOMALL, PA — An altercation involving a firearm prompted a precautionary lockdown at Russell Elementary School and temporary school bus detours Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 4, 2026, before Marple Township police took an individual into custody.
According to the Marple Township Police Department, the incident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. in the 100 block of Morton Avenue.
Police immediately notified Russell Elementary School and requested a lockdown while officers responded to the scene and assessed the surrounding area.
The lockdown was lifted shortly afterward when officers determined the area was safe.
School bus routes near Fifth Avenue, Morton Avenue and Gilbert Street remained temporarily diverted because of the continued police presence.
Authorities reported taking an individual into custody shortly before 4 p.m.
Police emphasized that there was no threat to Russell Elementary School or the community at large. The lockdown was requested as a precaution while officers investigated the incident.
The Marple Township Police Department’s investigation remains ongoing.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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