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North Medford High School was put on a brief lockdown Monday afternoon following a police standoff near the campus. An armed suspect accused of robbing a nearby business was in custody by 4 p.m., according to Medford police Lt. Geoff Kirkpatrick.

Medford police and school officials made the call to secure the high school about the same time the final bell rang for the day at 3:30 p.m., according to Medford School District spokeswoman Tyler Myerly. She said Medford police contacted school administrators about a “standoff” in the area.

Kirkpatrick said the suspect, identified as Levi Steven Cortez, 34, of Klamath Falls, allegedly robbed The Store in the 2000 block of Roberts Road around 2:30 p.m. before he fled the business and entered an apartment complex at 2115 Roberts Road near the high school.

Police located Cortez at the apartment complex and secured the scene, evacuating nearby apartments, Kirkpatrick said. Cortez eventually came out of an apartment around 4 p.m. but was uncooperative with police, Kirkpatrick said.

Officers fired a less-lethal sponge round, and Cortez was subdued and taken into custody, according to Kirkpatrick.

Cortez was arrested on charges of third-degree robbery, felon in possession of a firearm and multiple outstanding felony warrants. 

“I think that it worked out pretty well. This guy was armed and acting extremely erratic, and it could have ended pretty badly. I’m glad he was taken into custody safely,” the lieutenant said.

At about 4 p.m., administrators — with input from Medford police — decided it was safe to start allowing parents to pick up high school students, Myerly said. 

“We work with our SROs (Student Resource Officers) and Medford police in any situation like this,” she said.

Students who live nearby were escorted home by staff to ensure their safety and bus routes were delayed, according to Myerly.