WCSD Joins with Reno City Officials to
Warn Community About Target Shooting
Reno, NV (May 29, 2024) – Students and staff members at Nick Poulakidas Elementary School in southeast Reno have been forced to shelter in place multiple times during this school year after target shooters fired their rifles in the rural meadow and foothills adjacent to the school. As a result, the Washoe County School District (WCSD) is reminding members of the community to check county maps to determine if they are illegally shooting in congested areas.
“Every time we have a secured campus, it takes four or five officers at the minimum to secure a campus, to put them on perimeters, meet with admin, and assign a liaison to meet with other agencies,” said School Police Sgt. Beau Lorentzen. “So it’s pulling resources off the street, and every agency is a little strapped for help right now.”
“Shooting in congested areas, especially around schools, is extremely dangerous,” said Reno Police Officer Chris Johnson. “It puts schools on lockdown, and you could potentially injure the students here or property in the area from a ricochet or an errant shot. So make sure that when you are shooting, you are outside of a congested area. And if you’re in a restricted area, you have be at least 5,000 feet from the nearest building or structure.”
Poulakidas Elementary School Principal Chantal Lee says it’s an ongoing problem. When she and her staff hear gunshots nearby while students are playing outside, they use binoculars to try to spot and identify whoever is responsible for firing the weapons nearby.
“Just yesterday, we had a vehicle pull up into the area behind the school,” said Chantal Lee, principal of Nick Poulakidas Elementary School. “The individuals pulled out some firearms to start engaging in target practice. We did not have to call a secured campus, because another person pulled up and we think they informed the shooters that this is a congested area—as posted on a sign—and they cleared out.”
The possibility of someone—students, staff members, walkers, or nearby residents—being injured or killed by gunfire isn’t the only threat: A stray bullet could strike a rock or piece of metal and spark a potentially devastating brushfire.
“Any damages that are incurred from a fire that occurs [during illegal] target shooting, you’re going to be on the hook for that, and it can run into the millions of dollars,” said John Beck, Fire Marshal for the Reno Fire Department. “Also, the firefighting costs that are incurred to put the fire out, you’re also going to be on the hook for that potentially as well.”
Whenever a WCSD campus has to be secured due to incidents on- or off campus, the school principal sends a Connect Ed call to families with information. School Police and local law enforcement officers are diverted from their regular assignments to cover the school and investigate the situation while students and staff take shelter inside.
Not only is learning disrupted, but some students become anxious and upset when their school day is interrupted by an emergency situation.
"It can take away from instructional and educational time by having to institute the secured campus while we investigate what’s going on,” said Roy Anderson, emergency manager for WCSD. “Because we don’t know if the threat is to the school or if it is just someone in the neighborhood, shooting. We have to treat every incident as if it’s a threat to the school until we know it’s not.”
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office posts information about congested areas and the laws governing where and when target shooters can engage in their sport. For more information, visit https://www.washoesheriff.com/operations_bureau/patrol-division/congested-areafirearms-discharge-maps.php
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Washoe County School District’s promise is to know every student by name, strength and need so they graduate prepared for the future they choose, and we will deliver on this promise in partnership with our families and community.
