Weapon Detection System Now Used at Ann J. Kellogg Elementary

Battle Creek Public Schools has begun using weapon-detection systems at Ann J. Kellogg Elementary, a new safety measure announced after a firearm was discharged at the school on Sept. 22.

The district told families that the screening system started Wednesday and is designed to be non-invasive, allowing students to walk through as they enter the building without physical contact.

Because this is the first elementary school where the district has deployed this type of system, staff members are expected to help students and families through the arrival process.

Families were also asked to plan for extra time at drop-off while the new routine is put in place.

The announcement is a follow-up to the Sept. 22 incident, not a new report of a weapon being found at the school.

Battle Creek police said a third-grade student brought a firearm to the building and it discharged in a hallway inside the student’s backpack that morning.

No students were injured, and a staff member immediately secured the gun, according to police.

The school was placed on lockdown while officers responded, and the lockdown later ended.

Police said they searched the residence where the child had been staying under a warrant and collected additional evidence.

The department said it planned to submit charges to the Calhoun County Prosecutor’s Office for review, while declining additional details because the investigation involves a juvenile.

The new detection system does not change the status of that investigation.

Instead, it is an immediate operational step intended to add another layer to the school’s entry process as classes continue.

For families, the most practical change is at arrival, with additional time needed at the entrance during the initial rollout.

Officials have not publicly announced how long the system will remain at Ann J. Kellogg Elementary or whether the deployment will expand to other elementary schools.

Questions You Might Have

What is new at Ann J. Kellogg Elementary?

Battle Creek Public Schools says weapon-detection systems are now being used at the school during entry.

Does the system involve physical contact or searches of every student?

The district described the system as non-invasive and said students walk through it without physical contact.

Was anyone hurt in the Sept. 22 firearm incident?

Police said no students were injured, and the investigation remains subject to prosecutor review.