Manhattan Beach police took a subcontractor into custody Tuesday, Sept. 15, after students spotted a suspicious vehicle in the Mira Costa High School parking lot and officers found weapons inside.

The discovery triggered a shelter-in-place at both Mira Costa and neighboring Pennekamp Elementary School. It was lifted the same afternoon once the Manhattan Beach Police Department (MBPD) determined there was no threat.

Students first alerted school security and administrators at about 1:32 p.m., according to a message to families from Mira Costa Principal Jennifer Huynh. Officers located the vehicle in the student lot and recovered weapons from it. The type of weapons has not been disclosed.

The vehicle's owner was identified, interviewed and taken into custody without incident, Huynh's message said. MBPD investigators said they had no information indicating the individual intended to use the weapons to cause harm.

The person was identified as a subcontractor performing work on the Mira Costa campus. The subcontracting company was immediately ordered to remove all employees from Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) campuses. Authorities have not released the subcontractor's name, the company's name or specific charges.

"As always, we are grateful to our students for alerting us to this situation," Huynh wrote in her message to families. She added that the school appreciates "everyone's cooperation in following our emergency response protocols."

The City of Manhattan Beach confirmed on X that the shelter-in-place had been lifted at both schools. Both campuses have returned to normal schedules.

MBPD maintains patrols around all schools and will continue to do so, according to Huynh's message. As of Wednesday, Sept. 16, the department had not released a separate public statement on the incident.

Residents with information can contact the Manhattan Beach Police Department.