Police say possible gun at Scottsdale school was just computer equipment

PHOENIX — The student who reported a possible gunman at a Scottsdale high school last week actually saw somebody carrying computer equipment, investigators determined.

Cactus Shadows High School and the neighboring Black Mountain Elementary School were locked down for several hours on Friday in response to the report.

“It was determined through student interviews and a review of video surveillance footage that a student was carrying computer equipment they had checked out from the tech room on campus and not a firearm,” the Scottsdale Police Department said in a press release Monday.

Investigators concluded that what was thought to be a handgun was a cord hanging down from a power brick for a laptop.

The attached graphics include an update regarding the lockdown at Cactus Shadows High School on December 2nd. This information was shared with the media as well. #scottsdale #ScottsdalePD pic.twitter.com/5YtJrAHlnN

— ScottsdalePD (@ScottsdalePD) December 6, 2022

“The reporting student was very cooperative with officers during the entire investigation and there is no reason to believe this was done as a hoax,” the release said.

The student made the report to a Cactus Shadows school resource officer around 7:30 a.m. Friday, and the SRO ordered lockdowns at the two campuses.

The suspect was described as a school-aged male in dark clothing who was walking with a limp and carrying what appeared to be a revolver.

Officers searched the high school for about two hours before declaring the scene cleared.

Cactus Shadows is located at 5802 E. Dove Valley Road, southeast of the intersection of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway.

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