FW: Shoals Elementary School Lockdown

This morning at 0817 a.m., Deputies were dispatched to Shoals Elementary School in the Mink Shoals area, after school personnel reported a suspicious person on school grounds. School personnel told dispatchers, a white male in black clothing with a dark backpack peered through one of the portable classroom windows.

Deputies and State Police combed the area and determined the man had loaded onto a KRT Bus on his way to Charleston. We contacted Charleston Police and also sent Deputies to the Greyhound Bus station where it was learned he was dropped off by KRT, on his way out of state.

Upon interviewing the man, we discovered the lived close to school and used the trail by the classroom for his route to the KRT bus stop. The trail is very close to the classroom where students were alarmed by then man’s close presence. The lockdown was lifted after approximately 30 minutes of police arrival at the school.

No charges were filed, as it the man did not violate any criminal law.

We are pleased the school personnel took it upon themselves to follow procedure and err on the sign of caution, even though the event turned out to be false. The lockdown procedure went very well as did law enforcement response and coordination between agencies.

Captain Sean Crosier

Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office

Special Operations Commander

Phone: (304) 545-8127