Man outside IFHS was carrying cigarette lighter, not gun, say police

IDAHO FALLS — Police have determined a man who approached students outside Idaho Falls High School on Monday was carrying a cigarette lighter, not a gun, as some of the students believed.

Idaho Falls police responded to the school after the man approached students during lunch, Idaho Falls School District 91 spokeswoman Margaret Wimborne said. He apparently talked to them about rap music and sang a rap song.

Students later reported the incident to administrators and said the man appeared to have a gun in his pocket.

By the time administrators got outside, the man was gone, according to Wimborne, but leaders immediately contacted the IFPD.

Police officers later located the man and discovered he had a cigarette lighter that looked like a pistol but not a weapon, Idaho Falls police spokeswoman Joelyn Hansen said. Police advised the man that he would be arrested for trespassing if he was caught on school grounds during school hours again.

Wimborne says an email was sent to IFHS parents notifying them of the incident, and an update was distributed Tuesday morning with the new information.