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Published: Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 / Updated: Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 05:22 PM

Armed hunter wanders onto Fort Mill school property, triggers lockdown

FORT MILL -- 

Banks Trail Middle School went into lockdown mode for nearly an hour Thursday after a man with a gun was spotted on school property.

"[Police] Officers have determined that the man was hunting on adjoining property and inadvertently accessed the school site," school Principal Dr. Marty S. Conner said in an email sent to parents Thursday afternoon.

"We were notified of the man’s presence and the School Resource Officer and police detained the man within minutes. The gentleman is in custody of the police and is being questioned," conner wrote, adding, "I would like to thank our SRO, Officer Wilkins, and our BTMS faculty and staff for their professional response to this event. All students have been notified of the incident. They all acted appropriately and are safe."

The lockdown was from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., according to Conner's email.

Conner ended the email inviting parents to contact him with questions.

"Police officials feel comfortable the school is safe, therefore we have resumed normal operation. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me," he wrote.

At least one parent said he thought the school was late in notifying parents. Jack Anthony, father of a Banks Trail sixth grader, said the email was received nearly two hours after the lockdown ended.

"I would have liked to have been told a littler sooner than that," said Anthony, a local radio personality who runs a commercial free, Fort Mill-based radio station, WFBK.

Anthony interviewed his son on-air after he got home from school.