A 17-year-old allegedly wearing a mask and holding a gun walked into the Atkinson County Homecoming dance Saturday night, which was held off-campus at The Venue, a private multi-purpose center in Pearson. The suspect was arrested, according to a Facebook post from Pearson police.

According to the post, a Pearson police officer and an Atkinson County Sheriff’s deputy were stationed near the venue when a youth approached them and reported that someone with a gun was inside the venue. He was also wearing a mask, the youth said. Officers went to the scene; one went to the front door and the other to the back door. Students fled the dance and dispersed once they were outside.

According to the Facebook post, witnesses gave officers a description of the person. They found someone matching the description and arrested him. The post states that he initially denied being involved in the incident. He later admitted to having a ski mask but denied owning a gun. Officers recovered the mask but did not find a gun. The suspect was arrested and taken to the Atkinson County Jail.

On Sunday morning, the Atkinson County School System released a statement regarding the incident. The statement reads as follows:

“In light of the events that occurred last night at a parent-organized meeting attended by many of our students, we want to assure our community that the safety and well-being of our students remains our top priority. The district closely monitored updates from law enforcement last night, and those agencies are currently continuing to investigate and are releasing updates.

“To support our students, additional school counselors and social workers will be available on Monday to provide any assistance needed. In addition, we will be implementing additional security measures to further ensure the safety of everyone on campus.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of parents who have volunteered and expressed interest in hosting events for our students. However, please note that all future school-related events will be held on the Atkinson County High School campus and appropriate safety measures and staff will be present.

“We appreciate everyone’s continued support while this situation is investigated. We also thank the Pearson Police Department and Atkinson County Police for their prompt response in arresting the individual(s) responsible for this situation. We will continue to work with these agencies and keep you updated with any further updates. Thank you again to parents and the entire Atkinson district for helping us keep our students safe.”

If anyone has information about this incident, authorities ask that they call 911 in Tri-County. The investigation is ongoing. No one was injured in the incident.