A lockdown during Nags Head Elementary’s after-school program today was lifted after a suspicious man with a gun secured at his waist was identified as an off-duty police officer on the property to pick up his child, the Town of Nags Head said in a news release.
At 3:42 p.m., a parent called 911 to report a man with a gun entering the school. Nags Head police officers responded immediately and notified school staff so that a lockdown could be initiated. After a methodical search of the campus at 3100 South Wrightsville Ave., officers determined that the man had left the grounds.
Upon further investigation, law enforcement identified the suspicious person as an off-duty Kill Devil Hills police officer who has a child enrolled in the school. There were no injuries during the incident.
Students involved in the after-school program, as well as teachers, gathered in a secure location until the lockdown was lifted.
Nags Head’s Police Department would like to thank the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, as well as the staff at Nags Head Elementary, for their assistance today.
“I’d like to thank the good Samaritan who reported the suspicious person to police,” said Nags Head Police Chief Phil Webster. “This event is a reminder to all that if you see something suspicious please report it to law enforcement immediately.”