(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — Ellicott School District 22 (D22) sent an update following a lockdown situation on Thursday, Sept. 19, to explain why the decision was made to lock down the schools and lay out a plan for future communication. According to D22, the security incident that caused the entire district to go into lockdown was because a gun had reportedly gone missing from a vehicle on the high school grounds. D22 clarified that the lockdown was not related to a school threat hoax that occurred the same day in different districts. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ellicott schools on lockdown, students safe D22 explained that the high school's principal had been alerted to the missing gun, and out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to lock down all of the district's schools around 8:45 a.m. During the lockdown, the district said the El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO) responded and assisted school staff in securing and searching the premises, backpacks, and students at the high school. D22 said the middle and elementary schools were also searched as well as students' backpacks. The district explained that the decision to put the schools on lockdown was driven by three factors: To ensure that there was no presence of a weapon on school grounds. To ensure students were not going to be moved into a situation or location that would increase the security risk. All students were able to be 100% accounted for. The district explained that the original plan to evacuate students off-campus had to be changed, and addressed communication shortfalls that occurred while staff were focused on student safety. "The original plan to evacuate students to an off-campus site for reunification with parents was quickly disrupted when the original plan was leaked to both media outlets and social media which caused the district to shift plans out of an abundance of caution," the district said. "Additionally, the district was not adequately prepared to handle the influx of parents who began to show up at the front doors and parking lots of the schools when students were already en-route to their homes. The district acknowledges this change in plan and limited communication caused issues and concerns for all involved." The district elaborated and said the lack of communication with parents resulted in key staff being taken away from their assigned responsibilities. "We will study this incident to become better," the district said. The district reiterated several items of importance for parents and guardians to keep in mind so they can be prepared should a situation arise in the future: Students cannot be released to siblings, relatives, or friends/neighbors if they are not on the district's emergency contact list. The district will be working with parents to ensure all contact information is up to date. Students who drive to school must have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and school-issued parking pass. Vehicles without a parking pass will be towed, including vehicles parked at other buildings or just off campus. "The district staff has a responsibility to ensure the safety of every student and follow established emergency protocols and procedures. Thank you for your support and understanding as we work to better our procedures and processes," D22 said. The district did not specify whether the gun was found, though this is an ongoing investigation.