LINCOLN SQUARE — An attempted robbery outside St. Matthias Elementary during Friday afternoon pickup briefly sent the school on lockdown, sources told DNAinfo Chicago.
An officer with the 20th (Foster) District confirmed the incident Friday night. Two men were arrested and a gun was recovered, according to the officer.
Calling the details "still very fluid," the officer was unable to provide further information on the suspects at the time.
A parent, who preferred to remain anonymous, said she arrived at the school just moments after a fellow mom was approached at gunpoint by a man outside the school, 4910 N. Claremont Ave., around 2:40 p.m.
The man said he wanted money and told the mom to walk with him, according to the parent.
"She didn't have a purse or anything and held up her hands," the parent said.
As other parents neared the school grounds, the man fled, and an accomplice was spotted on nearby Ainslie Street.
"They ushered us all into the school," which was briefly placed on lockdown, according to the parent.
Multiple parents told DNAinfo Chicago that they received a robo call from the school notifying them of the robbery attempt and lockdown, assuring them that no students were in danger at any time and that teachers had followed practiced procedures.
Representatives from St. Matthias referred questions to the Archdiocese of Chicago for comment.
A spokeswoman for the archdiocese responded to DNAinfo via email, confirming the lockdown: "The students remained in their classrooms with their teachers until the police gave clearance for dismissal."
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
