Threat leads to school wide lockdown

BY STACI WILSON

Montrose Area schools went on lockdown for several hours Monday after the district received word from the Susquehanna County Sheriff’s Office of a possible threatening situation Montrose Area Schools on lockdown.

Susquehanna County District Attorney Robert Klein said Sheriff Lance Benedict received information regarding a potential threat concerning specific individuals within the Montrose Area School District.

Klein said it was not a general threat made against the school, student body or faculty.

Montrose Superintendent Carol Boyce said, “We received notice from the Sheriff that we needed to be on an all-building lockdown until further notice. They did not share the particulars other than they were dealing with a possible threatening situation.  We immediately locked down per their instructions.”

Sheriff Benedict directed the district be placed on lockdown until the individuals could be removed from the school, according to the district attorney.

Boyce said that after the schools were placed on lockdown shortly after noon, the district alerted parents. “Throughout, we were in contact with the sheriff for potential updates,” Boyce said.

The lockdown was lifted at about 2:20 p.m., after the sheriff informed the district the risk was over, according to the superintendent.

Kein said there is no known continuing or immediate threat to the safety of students or faculty.  “As with all matters involving our schools, this incident will be fully investigated.”

At the Monday night meeting of the school board, Boyce said that at the request of law enforcement and due to the ongoing investigation, no “particulars” could be given by the district.

Boyce said, “Procedurally, we followed the protocol for lockdowns. Our staff responded in a clear and appropriate manner following the direction of law enforcement, and the safety of students and staff was maintained throughout.”

Board member Paul Adams, also a parent of students in the district, thanked administrators and teachers for their conduct during the lockdown. But he said, that as parents, “We were scared. We didn’t know what was going on.”

Choconut Valley Principal Chris McComb said, “As serious as the situation was, the adults did what they do best – and that’s take care of the kids. Nobody was hurt, no one was injured, and at the end of the day, everybody went home safe.”

The District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office and state and local police are investigating the incident.  Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

 

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