TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Michigan authorities say a 74-year-old man likely will face a fine after his morning squirrel hunt frightened children, interrupted recess and put a local elementary school into “secure mode.”

Traverse City police Capt. Keith Gillis said officers responded an elementary school on Thursday morning after children spotted a man shooting squirrels in a wooded area on school property. Administrators immediately rushed the children off the playground and locked down the building.

“The kids heard something,” said Ryan Schrock, principal of Traverse Heights Elementary School. “He was never aiming toward the school or toward students. Rather than engage him, we quickly got everyone out of there. The playground was empty in less than 30 seconds. … We had officers on the scene right away.”

Gillis said officers found the squirrel-hunting man and plan to cite him for discharging a firearm within city limits.

Traverse City, a resort town on the shores of Lake Michigan, has ordinances that ban the discharge of all firearms without written permission from the police chief. The infraction could be deemed a misdemeanor and carry a fine of up to $500, according to city code.

“He legally owned it but you still can’t discharge a weapon in the city,” Gillis added.