Hartley, Iowa — Some tense moments yesterday at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School in Hartley. And it was all caused by a cow. A cow? Yes, a cow.

According to HMS Superintendent Patrick Carlin, the initial report from a coach outside was that an individual was in the location next to the high school, possibly with a firearm. An immediate lockdown was initiated at the school as a precaution.

Carlin says the HMS district worked in collaboration with the police department and emergency services. According to Carlin, everyone is safe, and no one was harmed during the incident.

He says law enforcement was able to determine that a cow had gotten loose at the locker in Hartley, and a person from the locker had been tracking the cow while holding a firearm.

Carlin tells us that this is not the way that they wanted to check their lockdown procedures, but the experience did give them an opportunity.

http://kiwaradio.com/files/Carlin20190918a.mp3

Carlin says that at no time was there any threat to anyone.

Photo by pat walden from FreeImages