Threats Of Shooting At South Carroll High School Put Campus On Lockdown
SYKESVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- Three police departments swarm South Carroll High School after threats of a shooting come in just as classes were to be let out.
Students were kept inside until 7 p.m. Thursday as officers searched the school.
Christie Ileto was with the students' frightened families waiting for information.
Parents paced anxiously behind police lanes while they were waiting for their children to be dismissed.
Taylor Bracalente reunites with her mom after she and hundreds of other students are locked down inside South Carroll High Thursday for more than four hours.
"We had to get on the ground and under the desks and I was in the science room so there was big tables and we all just climbed under and all of our friends just kind of huddled together," Bracalente said.
Police say an anonymous threat to the school triggered the lockdown just before 2:30 p.m.
"The anonymous caller in those calls explained that there would be a shooting and chaos at South Carroll High School," said Col. Phil Kasten, Carroll County Sheriff's Office.
Police say the first threat was phoned into the high school. It was followed by six others as deputies came to the school to lock it down. One of them was received by the Maryland State Police Department.
"We have no reason to believe that this threat is credible at this time," Kasten said.
K-9s, snipers and deputies spent hours combing the area.
"For me, it's more what's running through their minds as they're laying on the floor," said Gregory Roden.
Parents anxiously waited behind police lines until students were finally dismissed.
"I'm just glad it's done. I'm glad it's out and I'm glad nothing happened. I'm glad no one was hurt," Tracy Bracalente said.
While police follow leads to find whoever made these threats, parents and students try to make sense of the scare that seemed so real.
"It was just really serious and we started freaking out. We've heard it happen at other places, but I never thought it would happen here," Kiara Bender said.
Police say it is safe to go back to school Friday. There will be a heavy police presence at all Carroll County schools.
If anyone has any information as to who made the threats, the sheriff's department is asking you to call 410-386-5900.
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