BUTLER TWP — The sight of a man walking near Northwest Elementary School with a handgun this morning — which caused a lockdown at the school — turned out to be a homeowner getting rid of a skunk that he had trapped.

Township police said they found the homeowner at his house near the school about 9 a.m. He said that he had used his small-caliber handgun to kill the skunk in the trap.

The lockdown was lifted after about 15 minutes, police said.

Dale Lumley, superintendent, said a paraprofessional reported seeing the man to Principal Jack Ratica, who put a lockdown in place as a precaution.

School buses taking students to the school were diverted to the high school until the lockdown was lifted.

“School personnel followed proper protocol,” Lumley said. “The incident was handled appropriately.”

State police, township police and Butler County sheriff deputies responded to the incident.