Du Quoin Schools on Lockdown

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Du Quoin Middle School and the Du Quoin High School went on complete lockdown for more than an hour Wednesday morning after a client in counseling at the nearby Perry County Counseling Center threatened suicide, then left the building.

Chief of Police Michael Ward called in a precaution because of the close proximity of both schools to the counseling center.

"If someone threatens suicide, you don't know if they plan to hurt someone else," said Chief Ward.

Staff members at the Du Quoin High School were told to lock all exterior building doors and interior classroom doors as well as pull down any and all blinds that cover the windows.

Du Quoin Elementary and Middle School staff members were told the same thing.

Most teachers lock their classroom doors anyway while class is in session.

According to Chief Ward, the client was found walking in the vicinity of the Perry County Counseling Center, apparently headed back to the center to resume his counseling session.

Ward said authorities assisted the counseling center in getting clinical help for the client.

The client was never identified.

As soon as the situation ended, Du Quoin police phoned building administrators to tell them the security issue had ended.

The center is located on the same street as DMS and about two blocks from the high school.