EDMONDS — The Edmonds School District took extra precautions Wednesday after neighboring Shoreline placed its campuses in lock down and closed early following a gunman scare.

The Shoreline School District locked down its schools for about two hours Wednesday morning after a school food service employee saw a man reportedly carrying a rifle near a preschool.

Edmonds school officials quickly alerted its schools near the King County line. Outdoor recess at two schools was cancelled Wednesday morning.

The Edmonds district also sent out a taped message to all of its parents shortly before 11 a.m.

It said, in part: “There is no immediate threat to any of our Edmonds School District schools but our schools nearest the King County line are taking precautionary measures and are on alert due to this situation.”

Shoreline district spokesman Craig Degginger said the employee called 911 and the district closed all its schools while King County sheriff’s deputies looked for the man. Schools were closed from just before 8 a.m. to just after 10 a.m.

The district said the students were safe during the search. Students who were on buses were taken to the Spartan Recreation Center where they could be picked up.

Sgt. D.B. Gates of the King County sheriff’s office said deputies have not found the man. They have interviewed the employee who saw the man, but authorities only have a generic description of him.