Volunteer robbed outside South Bend school forces lock down

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A South Bend elementary school went into lock down Wednesday after a man robbed a 65-year-old woman at gunpoint just feet from the school’s doors.

South Bend police are searching for the man that targeted the school volunteer, leaving parents on edge.

"He is seven, he is so precious it’s beyond belief," said grandfather Carl Broockerd. 

Broockerd was visibly shaken after learning that his grandson’s elementary school went into lock down Wednesday afternoon.

Police say it happened after a man pulled out a small black pistol and demanded money from a retired teacher right in front of the school.

"This really takes some backbone or stupidity to do something like that," said Broockerd.

The 65-year-old woman was in the parking lot getting ready to enter Muessel Primary Center, where she volunteers, when the man approached her with a gun. Afterwards, the school sent a letter home with students.

"It’s from the mouth of a 7-year-old, that’s how I got the story," said Broockerd. "Then, of course, we got home and he pulled this out of his backpack and then I read this letter. No, it didn’t comfort me at all."

The letter never says that the woman was robbed at gunpoint, if the man was caught by police and never gives a description of the suspect.

Broockerd say he is not happy about that, which is why he wants to see the school implement more security measures.

"With the events in Connecticut you would think, around the country, nationwide, they would take that as a lesson and beef up security in our schools," said Broockerd.

The school says that none of its students were outside when the armed robbery happened. However, what really upsets parents is that this man put their children in danger for just $15.