Cassadaga Valley Central School District was in a lockout during a portion of Monday after an apparent shooting incident in the Sinclairville community.

The district announced the temporary lockout in a Facebook post shortly after 10:28 a.m. “While this matter was unrelated to our schools, district leaders, in consultation with our School Safety Adviser, immediately implemented a lockout out of an abundance of caution,” the district post said.

Law enforcement officials had notified the district of the nearby incident, school officials said.

A lockout is a standard safety protocol designed to protect students and staff when there is a potential danger in the surrounding community, but not within the school itself. The purpose is to keep the inside of the school secure and calm while giving law enforcement time and space to address the situation in the community.

“The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. We are grateful for the swift response of local law enforcement, our School Safety Advisor, and our school teams, as well as the patience and cooperation of families during today’s precautionary measure,” the notice read.

During a lockout: All exterior doors and windows are secured; no one will be allowed to enter or exit the building; students and staff may continue with normal activities inside the building.