All clear at Seattle's Garfield High after gunfire reported near school grounds

Seattle's Garfield High School was under a precautionary lockdown order Wednesday afternoon while police investigated a reported shooting nearby.

A Seattle Public Schools spokesperson later clarified Garfield was under a shelter in place order, which happens when there’s a threat in the area, but not on or near school grounds. Nova High School, across the street from Garfield, was the only school on lockdown, which means there might be a threat closer to school boundaries.

All students and staff are safe and school was dismissed on time. After-school activities went on as scheduled.

District officials said the incident began with an altercation between two students on the Garfield campus.

There were also reports of gunfire in the Garfield neighborhood. Seattle police are investigating, and the district doesn’t yet know if any Seattle students were involved.

RELATED: What can be done to prevent further gun violence in or near Seattle schools?

At the end of the last school year, a spate of after-hours shootings near Garfield caused community concern. In response, the district hired additional private security. The Seattle Police Department also increased patrols before and after school.

Seattle schools have different levels of lockdown responses, depending on the type of threat.

A shelter in place order means the regular school day goes on, except all exterior doors are locked and students must remain inside. Students can move between classrooms.

A lockdown, on the other hand, means both exterior and classroom doors are locked, and students have to remain in their classrooms until the order is lifted.