[E's Lil Theorem]

School Mistakes Huge Burrito for a Weapon

Fri Apr 29, 4:08 PM ET

A call about a possible weapon at a middle school prompted police to put armed officers on rooftops, close nearby streets and lock down the school. All over a giant burrito.

Someone called authorities Thursday after seeing a boy carrying something long and wrapped into Marshall Junior High.

The drama ended two hours later when the suspicious item was identified as a 30-inch burrito filled with steak, guacamole, lettuce, salsa and jalapenos and wrapped inside tin foil and a white T-shirt.

"I didn't know whether to laugh or cry," school Principal Diana Russell said.

State police, Clovis police and the Curry County Sheriff's Department arrived at the school shortly after 8:30 a.m. They searched the premises and determined there was no immediate danger.

In the meantime, more than 30 parents, alerted by a radio report, descended on the school. Visibly shaken, they gathered around in a semi-circle, straining their necks, awaiting news.

"There needs to be security before the kids walk through the door," said Heather Black, whose son attends the school.

After the lockdown was lifted but before the burrito was identified as the culprit, parents pulled 75 students out of school, Russell said.

Russell said the mystery was solved after she brought everyone in the school together in the auditorium to explain what was going on.

"The kid was sitting there as I'm describing this (report of a student with a suspicious package) and he's thinking, 'Oh, my gosh, they're talking about my burrito.'"

Afterward, eighth-grader Michael Morrissey approached her.

"He said, 'I think I'm the person they saw,'" Russell said.

The burrito was part of Morrissey's extra-credit assignment to create commercial advertising for a product.

"We had to make up a product and it could have been anything. I made up a restaurant that specialized in oddly large burritos," Morrissey said.

After students heard the description of what police were looking for, he and his friends began to make the connection. He then took the burrito to the office.

"The police saw it and everyone just started laughing. It was a laughter of relief," Morrissey said.

"Oh, and I have a new nickname now. It's Burrito Boy."

Linkage

[nredman]

pretty sad if you ask me, i am suprised they didn't shoot the kid

[Cody Dawg]

Ditto.

In Florida they would have tasered him, shot him, then handcuffed him to the gurney on the way to the hospital for emergency surgery.

Reverend Jesse Jackson would have been waiting at the ER doors with film and crew, "More at 11 o'clock."

[invisibleX]

Thats nice. What did they do with the burrito?

[CollinG3G4]

Originally Posted by invisibleX

Thats nice. What did they do with the burrito?

Sent it to the FBi crime lab for analysis.

[MilkmanDan]

Well, if eaten, it could have become a chemical weapon.

[historylme]

What a volatile nightmare.

Stay tune, more gas at 11.

[OwlBoy]

You know, a steak burrito sounds yummy about now...

-Owl

[Zimphire]

"I didn't know whether to laugh or cry," school Principal Diana Russell said.

There is the problem right there. A WOMAN Principal. Why the next thing you know we will have women cops giving out tickets.

And guys wearing chapstick.

[Busemann]

[f1000]

Originally Posted by Zimphire

"I didn't know whether to laugh or cry," school Principal Diana Russell said.

There is the problem right there. A WOMAN Principal. Why the next thing you know we will have women cops giving out tickets.

And guys wearing chapstick.

It's too bad I never had a woman principal. I might've looked forward to getting paddled.

"Is that a burrito in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"