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Four schools in Mission Viejo were temporarily placed on lockdown Wednesday while deputies searched for a man sought by authorities in Northern California, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Four schools — La Paz Intermediate, Linda Vista Elementary, Mission Viejo High and Esperanza Special Education — were initially placed on lockdown out of “an abundance of caution,” the department tweeted just before 11:20 a.m. All four campuses are a short distance away from each other.

About 30 minutes later, the department tweeted that the lockdown had been lifted at Mission Viejo High School and Linda Vista Elementary School.

A short time after that, the order at the two remaining schools was downgraded to “soft lockdown,” meaning classes could resume but students could not move about the campus.

The lockdown was completely lifted by 2:20 p.m., according to the department.

Sheriff’s deputies were searching for a subject in the area at the request of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and there was “no direct threat made to any school,” according to the department.

The man being sought was identified as 32-year-old Lee Zechariah Austin, who was wanted for outstanding warrants, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Lane Lagaret.

Austin was believed to be in the area of the schools at one point. After further investigation, authorities no longer believe that to be the case, Lagaret said.

No additional information was immediately provided.

KTLA’s Chip Yost contributed to this story.

#OCSDPIO Lee Zechariah Austin 8/19/84 was the subject being sought in the area of the MV schools pic.twitter.com/9wdqfFk5Ii — Lane Lagaret (@Lane_Lagaret) April 26, 2017

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