Suspicious man leads to school lockdown

Elementary students held while troopers searched school room-by-room

CARROLLTOWN -- At least a half dozen state police cruisers sat Thursday outside of Cambria Heights Elementary School as parents walked their children past troopers stationed at its doors.

Troopers were called to the school after it was reported to administrators that a suspicious man had entered the building and shut himself inside a bathroom, state police spokesman Trooper Clifford Greenfield said. Later, it was confirmed that an unidentified man had entered the school.

"We are continuing this investigation," Greenfield said, after all students were released.

The about 600 students who attend the elementary school were scheduled to be dismissed early Thursday in celebration of the upcoming holidays.

Shortly before the scheduled 11:35 a.m. dismissal, school officials were told that a suspicious man had entered the building before going into the bathroom, Cambria Heights Superintendent Michael Strasser said.

The school was put on "lockdown," and police were called, Strasser said. All of the school's students were accounted for, he said.

State troopers entered the bathroom and found that no one was inside, Greenfield said. To ensure that the man was no longer in the building, troopers then conducted a room-by-room search of the entire school, he said.

"We did not find anyone matching that description," he said.

Once the situation was deemed safe, students were moved to a secure location inside the school, where they waited to be dismissed, Strasser said.

In the meantime, a notice was sent to parents, explaining buses would be delayed, Strasser said.

State police took over the duties of communicating with parents when they arrived at the school, he said.

Students were dismissed hours after their scheduled 11:35 a.m. departure, and many parents opted to pick up their children. Students were dismissed 10 at a time, and parents were required to show identification.

Although some parents in attendance said they had spoken with administrators and police, many circulated inaccurate rumors about what had led to the lockdown.

"Honestly, there are so many conflicting stories," one mother said as she stood next to her two young children in a nearby AmeriServ bank parking lot.

That was borne out, as other parents walked and stood along Henry Street, watching as troopers worked outside of the building.

Several people said they were told a man carrying a box had entered the school and locked himself inside of the bathroom. One woman standing on her Henry Street porch said she had heard a trench coat-wearing man was inside of the school with a rifle.

A woman walking a sidewalk in front of the school said she was told the man had died inside of the bathroom.

Greenfield confirmed a man had entered the building for unknown reasons. Though the intruder was initially described as a white man, surveillance footage showed he was a light-skinned black man, Greenfield said, asking anyone with information to call police.

The initial report to school administrators did not include information about the man having a weapon, Greenfield said, adding he also could not confirm that the man had a box or wore a trench coat.

Strasser said the man likely entered the building when a parent leaving the school held a door open. It is unclear how the man exited the building.

Ty Bogus, whose stepson was in the school, said parents were not immediately told what had led to the lockdown. He said practices should be evaluated to ensure unidentified people cannot get inside of the building.

"There should be more safety precautions," he said.

At least one young student was visibly shaken, crying as she embraced an adult.

Strasser emphasized that students remained safe and said proper protocols were followed.

"The staff is to be commended for doing an outstanding job," he said, also applauding state and local police.

An in-school police officer is not employed at Cambria Heights Elementary.

Strasser said the Thursday incident will be evaluated, and changes could be made.

"I'm sure we'll look at everything," he said.

The Cambria Heights scare came only days after rumors that a student made a threat circulated at nearby Glendale School District, prompting a separate police investigation.

This week's incidents follow shortly after a 12-year-old student in another Cambria County district -- Westmont Hilltop -- made a threat on social media, prompting administrators to cancel classes the following day.

Mirror Staff Writer Sean Sauro is at 946-7535.