October 25, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
Lockdown!
Smithville Elementary School was placed on lockdown early Monday morning before the arrival of students after a teacher reported seeing an intruder in a classroom.
Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said the teacher immediately reported the incident and a walk through was conducted inside the building and around the campus by the School Resource Officer, Smithville Police, and School Administrators along with himself, Transportation Supervisor Michael Agee and Attendance Supervisor Joey Reeder. Video from school security cameras were reviewed but revealed no one suspicious on the premises. Nothing occurred to trigger the school system’s security alarm and no windows or doors were found to have been tampered with.
Bus drivers kept Smithville Elementary students on their buses at other schools and parents who had transported their children to SES were kept from entering the campus until the lockdown order was lifted.
Director Cripps said he wants to thank everyone who took part in the effort to ensure the safety of the school and for the support of county and city law enforcement departments.
School administrators say they have remained in contact with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and that the investigation is ongoing. The Smithville Police Department has also offered extra support. Meanwhile additional security measures have been taken at the school.