SCRANTON, Pa. — A teen is locked up in Lackawanna County Prison charged as an adult after investigators say he was found carrying a rifle near Scranton High School around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Sihayr Dickerson, 16, of Wilkes-Barre, faces aggravated assault and firearms offenses.
According to court paperwork, a woman saw Dickerson exiting a bus at the Lackawanna County Transit Center Wednesday morning, acting suspiciously and called 911.
Police found Dickerson soon after walking with the weapon near the school, prompting a massive response by law enforcement.
The high school was placed under lockdown for a time as police investigated.
Dickerson remains locked up without bail in Lackawanna County.
Newswatch 16 spoke with parents of students after the arrest.
Robert Orr says it's another scary situation he's noticed throughout the city, "I think they need to take care of this, you know, get a handle on this, you know. We don't need this in Scranton."
Newswatch 16 spoke with some nervous parents who wished to remain anonymous as they waited to pick up their children.
"This is the first day that I actually let my kids go back to school, and then this happens," said a parent.
Earlier in the week, at a news conference about school funding and safety, Senator Marty Flynn acknowledged there is gang and other violence throughout the district and changes need to be made.
"We have over 100 confirmed gang members in the Scranton School District. We rank 321 out of 321 reporting school districts for out-of-school suspension for violence," said Sen. Marty Flynn, PA 22nd District.
A gang and violence problem that some parents say has them rethinking about keeping their kids in the district.
"My child will not be returning to public school. I can't put a price on my kids life, it's not worth it. My kids mean everything to me," said another parent.
Scranton High School will operate on a Flexible Instruction Day on Thursday following the arrest.
Scranton School District released a statement Wednesday night reading in part, "As we continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff, the Scranton School District, in coordination with local law enforcement, has decided to implement a Flexible Instruction Day (FID) for tomorrow. This decision is made out of an abundance of caution and is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure the security of our school community."
To read the full statement, click here.