Leonardtown Lockdown: Students Leave, K9sGo In

Leonardtown - 5/19/2006

By Anna Bedford

Off to the right school buses have arrived to take children home, but many parents aren't home, they're at the fairgrounds opposite the school waiting to see their child come out

Speaking after him Sheriff Zylak said the high school and the Tech Center had successfully been cleared room by room. “Once students vacate the buildings they will be going in with canines,” he said.

Three to four man went into each room and cleared it, said Zylak, but to his knowledge the students weren’t personally searched for weapons.

Asked about the level of the response, Zylak said it was warranted due to two credible witnesses with identical accounts of a kid with a weapon entering the school. “What kind of a weapon are we talking about?” asked one man. “A handgun,” Zylak replied.

When asked how the officials could guarantee a gun would not leave the school with a student when they are dismissed, especially since they have not been searched, Zylak said “I may have to get back to you, they may have each been patted down, which would not have been unreasonable given the circumstances.”

Dr. Michael Martirano, St. Mary’s County Public Schools superintendent announced the children are calm and the atmosphere inside the school is calm.

“This has been a stressful event for our children,” he said. “They will be escorted out of the school by adults to ensure their safety and their emotional safety.” The students will be escorted out room by room with those traveling by bus taken to them first. Students that travel home by car will be escorted to their vehicles and make their way home as usual at the normal time. Necessary adjustments will be made on a case-by-case basis.

“We take safety very seriously in St. Mary’s County,” said Martirano. “We want the safety of our children to be paramount.”

“The children have been very calm, but it has been a very stressful event,” he reiterated. “I’m sure parents will want to talk to their children this evening.”

“All after-school activities have been cancelled for obvious reasons. This has had a huge impact on our students and staff,” said Martirano. Activities scheduled at the schools for tomorrow will take place. In addition the school will make case-by-case arrangements for students and parents to return tomorrow to collect any belongings that have had to be left on the premises.

This afternoon canine teams and emergency personnel will reenter the school after the students leave to search the building – including lockers – for weapons and devices.