Armed Police Evacuate School After Teen Wears Darth Vader Mask For Star Wars Day

A parent thought he was a school shooter.

A school was evacuated by armed police after a student dressed in a Darth Vader mask was mistaken for a potential attacker.

A parent at Ashwaubenon High School in Wisconsin called 911 after spotting the teenage boy, who has not been named, entering the school with a backpack.

The worried onlooker mistook the pupil’s costume for a bullet proof vest and mask, police said.

A school was evacuated after a teen arrived in a Darth Vader mask
A school was evacuated after a teen arrived in a Darth Vader mask
David Mercado / Reuters

Students and staff were evacuated by armed police before officers realised that the potential school shooter was actually a pupil who had dressed up for Star Wars Day.

Every year on May 4, fans of the film series dress up as their favourite characters to celebrate the franchise.

While the boy was questioned by officers over the incident, he is not set to face punishment, with police determining it was “simply a mistake or lapse in judgement”.

Captain Jody Cocker of the Ashwaubenon department of public safety praised the person who had reported the incident.

“The saying ‘If you see something, say something’ certainly applies to this and we always encourage people to report suspicious activity,” he said.

The school district posted on Facebook that the student will be “held accountable” and added that it takes all threats seriously “because student safety is our number one priority”.

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