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Carroll
County Schools Locked Down After Caller Threatens to Shoot Up
Century High School Maryland State Police at the Westminster Barrack are continuing their investigation into an early morning 9-1-1 call that led to all Carroll County Schools being locked down for nearly three hours. Shortly after 10:00 a.m. this morning, an operator at the Carroll County Emergency Operations Center received a 911 call from a pay phone located at the Londontown Shopping Center in Eldersburg. The caller stated "I am going to shoot up Century High School," then disconnected the call. Maryland State Police immediately responded to the school, placing it and all schools located in that section of the county on a lockdown status. Upon consulting with the Carroll County School Board, troopers, along with the Carroll County Sheriff?s Department locked down all Carroll County schools, including Carroll County Community College, minutes after the initial lock down. This measure was taken to insure the safety of all of the county?s schools. Troopers conducted two thorough searches in and around Century High School after receiving the threat. During the lockdown period, police intercepted a green, Toyota pick up truck as it pulled onto the parking lot of Century High School. One of the two occupants advised that he was a student at the school. That student was later determined to have an unverified absence from the school today. Both individuals were ordered off of school property by the police officer. Minutes later, the same vehicle arrived at South Carroll High School, and the same two individuals were confronted by police assigned at the school. After the second encounter with police, the behaviors of both individuals in the pick up truck led investigators to believe they may have been involved in the threat against the school. Both suspects were taken to the Westminster Barrack for questioning. At the conclusion of the interviews, investigators were unable to determine if either of the suspects were involved with making the call. The countywide
lockdown was lifted at 1:00 p.m., after all schools were determined
to be safe. A police presence remained at all schools in the county
until 4:00 p.m. According to a press release from the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department: DOZENS OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WAIT OUT SCHOOLS LOCK DOWN AT SYKESVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT Over 80 Carroll County kindergarten students had their fire prevention tour of the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department extended as a result of the county wide school lockdown Thursday October 11. The 82 students from Eldersburg Elementary School's four kindergarten classes were on their scheduled tour of the fire department Thursday morning, when department officials received a call at approximately 10:00 am advising them of the lockdown. Sykesville fire officials quickly confirmed the incident with the Maryland State Police and county school officials, and offered to keep the children safe at the fire department. Firefighters and fire department auxiliary members sprang into action, opening the social hall's kitchen to serve up an impromptu lunch of hot dogs, chips, juice and cookies to the hungry children. Fire Prevention Lieutenant Christine Flanagan says the auxiliary's freezer was "raided" by the firefighters to help provide the lunch. The fire department was notified by county school officials shortly after 12:00 that the it was safe for the children to return to school. Flanagan says the goal was to keep the children occupied and not let them think there was anything out of the ordinary. "The kids never knew a thing," Flanagan said. "They just thought it was so cool to eat hot dogs for lunch at the firehouse." Flanagan credits the cooperative efforts of firefighters, teachers and parent chaperones to ensure that the "extended" field trip to the fire department was a success. Overview of CCPS Levels of Security From Earlier today CCPS has elevated its level of security to Code Orange as a precautionary measure only. No specific incidents have been reported. 10-11-07 11:15am At 1pm the Maryland State Police advised CCPS to return to Code Yellow.10-11-07 13:16
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