A Winterville elementary school went on modified lockdown Monday morning after the principal thought they saw a man with a gun, who turned out to be a hunter.

Officials with Pitt County Schools say the modified lockdown at Ridgewood Elementary off Thomas Langston Rd. started at 7:44 a.m. Monday.

A modified lockdown means the teachers are continuing with instruction, but all doors are locked. No one is moving within in the school.

Law enforcement determined that the man the principal saw was a hunter. The woods behind the school belong to the man's father.

The hunter's brother tells WITN News that his brother had a compound bow, not a firearm.

School officials announced at 9:20 a.m. that they had made contact with the hunter to ensure the safety of the students.