Megan Davis
McDonald County Press [email protected]
Schools in Anderson went into lock down after a former student stole a number of firearms and threatened to inflict bodily harm on himself and law enforcement.
Around 6 a.m. Friday, Aug.21, a 17-year-old male, along with an AR-15 rifle, a Glock 21 pistol, and ammunition, were reported missing to the Anderson Police Department. The teen's name was not released because he is a juvenile.
Personnel from the Anderson Police Department, the McDonald County Sheriff's Office, and the Missouri Highway Patrol searched the vicinity where the teen was last known to be and began pinging his cell phone.
A news release issued Friday afternoon states that the teen had made statements to family members that he was staying at the Indian Creek Apartments and that, if law enforcement made contact with him, he would open fire. Upon further investigation it was uncovered that he had intentions of walking his girlfriend to McDonald County High School.
Eventually, he and the missing weapons were recovered, without incident, from the apartments in Anderson.
As a precaution, and due to the close proximity of where the teen was last seen and eventually located, the high school and elementary school were placed on lock down shortly after 8 a.m. and bus students were redirected to the FEMA shelter at Pineville Elementary. That campus, as well as Pineville Primary School were also locked down.
See threat page 3A
"The lockdown was a precautionary measure due to the proximity to those schools," Superintendent Dr. Mark Stanton said. "All our staff and administration did a wonderful job handling the situation under some difficult circumstances due to the timing. The staff responded just as I hoped they would. I also appreciate the efforts of all law enforcement personnel. The safety of our students is priority one."
Stanton said that, by the time he arrived at the high school, law enforcement were on scene. He reported that administrators Joy Hardage and Angie Brewer were dispatched to Anderson Elementary School to assist with the additional students.
By 10 a.m. the suspect was in police custody and students were released from lock down and asked to return to class.
General News on 08/27/2015