Darth Vader Costume Leads to Wisconsin High School Evacuation on Star Wars Day

"We believe it was an innocent mistake right now," a police spokesman says.

A student wearing a Darth Vader costume on Thursday prompted the evacuation of a Wisconsin high school after a concerned parent thought the boy was wearing body armor and posed a threat.

The incident happened in the morning at Ashwaubenon High School, where the facility was put on lockdown then evacuated after the possible threat was reported, according to local authorities. Ashwaubenon is a suburb of Green Bay. Another school in the area was also put on lockdown, authorities said.

"The student was wearing a Darth Vader outfit with a plastic mask and was carrying a bag with him, and that outfit looked like he might be wearing a bulletproof vest or a flak jacket," an unidentified police officer told reporters at the scene. "That, with wearing that mask and walking into the back door of the school, made a person very concerned. And we expect that to happen. We sure hope that people would call when this stuff takes place."

The officer added, "We believe it was an innocent mistake right now."

May 4 is known as Star Wars Day, a play on the popular phrase "May the Force be with you."