A man stole a rifle that was on display at Eller's Hunting Post a little before 2 p.m. Tuesday, prompting a lockdown of St. Joseph High School.

The rifle was discovered behind a house about 45 minutes after it was reported stolen, said Officer Kelly Luther, with the Victoria Police Department.

A group of four men reportedly entered the store at 1807 N. Navarro Street, two times earlier in the day, looking around and asking questions, Luther said. One suspect returned a third time and ran out of the store with the unloaded rifle he grabbed off a glass case.

Luther said the suspect later ditched the large gun behind a house in the 1800 block of Wheeler Street.

"It was a special forces style rifle, so it would be hard for anybody to run around town with it," she said.

The principal of St. Joseph High School, Anthony Winstead, sent a letter to parents informing them of the school's lockdown response to the robbery.

The letter said police informed the school the department was searching for a robbery suspect, and the school went into immediate lockdown. By 2:35 p.m., the police had told the school it was no longer considered to be in the danger.

School let out at 3 p.m., as usual.

Luther said no arrests have been made, and the case is still under investigation.

• IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION Contact Crime Stoppers at 361-572-4200.

  POLICE SUSPECT DESCRIPTIONSTwo Hispanic men (one with a goatee) with black muscle shirts

  A slender black man wearing a black Under Armour shirt and black gym shorts

  A slender black man wearing a black muscle shirt and shorts

  All suspects are in their 20s, and they had a rusty-colored backpack and a pistol that was possibly broken

  Source: Victoria Police Department