A man died on Tuesday afternoon on the property of McKinley Elementary School in Long Beach after reportedly carrying a sledgehammer and climbing a fence to enter the campus. According to Long Beach police, the man initially called the authorities at 2:27 p.m. to report a home invasion. However, when officers arrived, they found him unconscious on the school’s premises.
Witness accounts suggest that the man climbed one fence to gain entry into the school parking lot while holding a sledgehammer. He then tried to climb a second fence to access the main campus but was “pulled down and detained by a group of male adults,” as stated in a police release. At some point after this confrontation, the man became unresponsive. Paramedics arrived to confirm that the man had died, though the cause of his death remains unclear.
Police have not specified whether the men who confronted the individual were school staff, security personnel, or parents. A significant law enforcement presence was observed at the school in the evening, gathering evidence and speaking to potential witnesses.
The school issued a note to parents indicating that the campus had been locked down due to a “medical emergency” and assured them that the “campus is safe and secure.” Classes will resume as scheduled on Wednesday with potentially increased security.
This incident comes a week after another man was arrested at the same school for allegedly pointing a gun at a student. Authorities have not confirmed if the two incidents are related.
