Sierra Sands Unified School District Dr. Dave Ostash Superintendent– At approximately 9:45 am some students at James Monroe Middle School, who were out on the play field, observed a male passerby outside of the fence line of the school property. The students believed they saw the man carrying a knife or a gun. The students reported it and we immediately placed the campus on lockdown. Police arrived within a minute or so, and minutes later they apprehended the “person of interest” near the campus. At no time did the man ever gain entrance in the campus.
I am grateful our campus is safe and there is no continuing possible threat. I am also thankful for our conscientious and quick-acting students, as well as our fast-acting, professional and assertive police department. Our administrative staff is going to door-to-door on the campus, right now, and personally letting staff and students know we are clear/safe.
Amy Self, James Monroe Principal, stated that the Campus Lockdown had lifted and the situation has been resolved. “Ridgecrest Police Department has a person in the neighborhood detained and there is not, nor was there, a threat to our campus,” Self said. The students were able to carry on with their day as usual and their dance that night proceeded as planned.
