A threat against Harford Community College made by an unknown caller triggered a campus-wide lockdown and building-to-building search by members of several local law enforcement agencies Tuesday night.
As the search neared its conclusion just before midnight, the caller remained at large and officers were “running down leads,” according to Major William Davis, commander of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Police Operations Bureau.
The call was received at approximately 7:50 p.m., and was directed specifically against Joppa Hall, home to the college’s arts programs.
“An individual was threatening to do shooting and possibly some bombing at the college,” Davis said.
The Sheriff’s Office joined with Maryland State Police and the college’s Department of Public Safety and locked down the college, with approximately 100 to 125 students and staff ordered to shelter in place as officers swept through each building.
Davis said no shots had been fired during the course of the evening, and no evidence was found of any armed person on the campus. The search included aerial support from the Sheriff’s Office Sable 1 helicopter and a Baltimore County Police Department aviation unit.
A suspect had not been identified, and a motive for the threat had not been determined, Davis said; he declined to comment whether a monetary demand was part of the threat.
Spring semester classes are set to begin on Monday, according to college Department of Public Safety Chief Mary Eilerman, who said the limited number of people on campus aided in the search.
“There were very few people on campus,” she said. “Just a sprinkling of non-credit classes.”
The Sheriff’s Office expected to release additional details about the incident on Wednesday.
Jeff trying to justify the helicopter.
There is no pleasing the Bane apologists. If it turned out there was an actual threat on campus and the helicopter wasn’t called into use, you would criticize Sheriff Gahler for that instead. Please get some therapy so you can finally get some closure and accept that Bane lost the election on his own merits (or lack of them). Harford County voters decided they would rather have a law enforcement officer as head of the Sheriff’s Department than a politician.
hate to tell you that bane was a law enforcement officer….I didn’t vote for him and glad he is gone, but if your going to be a concerned teacher…..get your facts straight. Glad he used the helicopter, but Gahler said he would give it a year. Why do you think he brought in people who know about a helicopter operation instead of misleading us on the name EAGLE 1.
I thought the election was over?!?! Why is everyone still jilting Jesse? Wait for him to do something in his new position, then chastise him if its inappropriate. Even though I have some serious doubts about how he acquired his new job, I think bringing him up every time the Helicopter is mentioned is a little redundant…..and pointless……
No one cares what you think crusher, STFU.ass hat.
The Crusher of Heads, Holes and Souls says, “Shut your mouth and know your role!”.
I don’t see how a Baltimore County PD helicopter assisting the HCSO justifies the need for the HCSO to have it’s own helicopter. If anything, it shows that when one is needed, there are helicopters available from other jurisdictions.
Of course, every time I hear about it, I always picture this:
Lets just have baltimore county police use their swat and k9’s to. While we are at it just use their officers to handle harford county calls. This is 2015 Bill, not 1980. Police and citizens face daily threats, just watch the news.
You have got to be kidding me? I can not believe that you people are more worried about Bane and the new sheriff. I for one am more concerned that if there is an actual shooter on that campus that those students who are there are safe and unharmed!!!!! You should be ashamed of yourselves!!!! And you dipshits should know that when police agencies need a helicopter or a K-9 when theirs is not available that they call surrounding counties or townships for assistance!
Sure, pull the “What about the children” card.
Helicopter cry babies… know the facts and the laws before you post your uneducated statements… the helicopter doesn’t need to be justified by the former or current Sherriff… it’s a federal mandate to have that resource because of the county’s population. “there’s no pleasing ignorant people ” – Sheriff Joe Apario, Maricopa County Arizona
Source, please? An actual citation of law would help here. “It’s in there somewhere” won’t cut it.
Federal mandate for a helicopter? Lol. Who’s ignorant again? What a joke. Sable 1, Eagle 1, Petunia 1, you will be grounded and rightfully so. Direct the funds to a more worthy cause. Totally unjustified resource and the facts support that. Okay so one of the six observers that should be on a full time patrol group – located a missing dog. Whooptiedo
It is not a federal mandate. Get your facts straight and think before you talk. The helicopter has nothing to do with the population. You gotta be kidding me. You must have sat in on the meetings that didn’t exist. Give us the federal law that states we need Sable 1. BTW is it a federal mandate to have new designs on the sheriff’s cars.
When is everyone gonna learn that you should fear the nuts that don’t make threats. They are the ones who actually carry out their plans……
Now this had to be a white guy, it
involves school!
Why shouldn’t Harford County SO have a chopper?
Do we have reasonable suspicion the suspect is a school teacher?
I would suspect an unprepared student who had an exam at 8:00 p.m. in a class in Joppa Hall.
I hope the dagger follows up on this story when the caller is found out and charged.
With all the hoopla on every media channel by the Sheriffs office if they don’t catch the caller it sure will be an embarrassment early on for Gahler.
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