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Report of suspect carrying what looked like ‘long gun’ prompts lockdown at Bowie High

One person is in custody after a report of a suspect with a firearm led to a lockdown at a Prince George’s County, Maryland, high school. It happened near Bowie High School Wednesday around 1 p.m. A person was seen with what appeared to be a long barrel rifle, police said. The suspect was reported to have possibly fled in a dark-colored vehicle. Police also got another report that the suspect was possibly hiding in the school, leading to a shelter-in-place order for the high school and the Bowie Annex. Officers did not find the person inside the school. Police told people to avoid the area with heavy police presence; some roads were closed as they searched for the suspect. Police caught a suspect, identified as a juvenile, in a neighborhood near the school several hours later, and the lockdown was lifted after 3:30 p.m. The person was not armed when he was arrested, but police said a weapon was recovered — an airsoft pistol that looks like a long gun.

City of Bowie Police investigators are coordinating with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, and charges are forthcoming, a police news release said. Bowie High School said in a letter to parents that nobody was hurt. There will be a crisis team and added security on Thursday to “support the needs of any students and staff,” as well as counselors for “anyone who needs support,” Principal Joe Kautzer said.

Riverdale community mourns 2 children struck, killed outside school

Members of the Riverdale community in Prince George's County, Maryland, came together on the grounds of Riverdale Elementary School at sunset Saturday for a candlelight vigil in memory of the two children struck and killed outside their school Monday morning. Shalom Mbah, 10, and Sky Sosa, 5, were in a crosswalk on Riverdale Road at Taylor Road when they were hit by a driver making a left turn. The crosswalk had no crossing guard.
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