At approx. 10:25 am B-CC initiated a lockdown “due to a threat to the building.” The story image shows Assistant Principal Leanna Blandford’s announcement to the community at 10:27 a.m. Community members were asked to remain away from school grounds.
At 10:31 a.m. Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) sent out the following message:
“Bethesda Chevy Chase H.S. is on lockdown for the report of a weapon on campus. MCPD is investigating the validity of the report.”
According to Police Dispatch 2 (Bethesda), MCPD received a report of a student with a firearm.
At 11:00 a.m. MCPD sent an updated message saying:
“MCPD is on the Bethesda Chevy Chase campus actively investigating the report. At this time, no weapon has been found, but officers are continuing the search. The school remains on lockdown as a precaution.”
At 11:03 a.m. B-CC transitioned to a shelter in place.
After the shelter in place was concluded Blandford sent out a further update, including more details about the incident.
Assistant Principal Blanford’s Remind message in full can be seen below:
“Dear Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Community,
I am writing to provide you with details regarding the incident that occurred today at approximately 10:20 AM, and to address any concerns you may have about the situation.
The school went into lockdown after a credible report from a student indicated that another student had a gun in their backpack and was displaying it in a school bathroom. In response, the school immediately initiated lockdown procedures and called 911, alerting the Montgomery County Police.
Following a thorough search of the building and a review of our security footage, it was determined that the student identified had exited the building before the lockdown procedures were put into place. At that point, we transitioned to a shelter-in-place protocol while the police continued their search for the student in the community. Very quickly and with the support of the identified student’s parent, the student was located and apprehended by Montgomery County Police, allowing us to exit the Shelter-in-Place
We understand that incidents like this do create high levels of concern and anxiety, particularly in light of the recent incident involving a student fight off campus that had gun involvement last Wednesday. Such incidents are absolutely unacceptable, and we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for our students and staff.
I also want to address a series of questions the PTA has sent regarding our ongoing security measures. We are currently compiling comprehensive answers and will share this information with the entire community very soon.
I would like to extend my gratitude to our students and staff for their calm and responsible actions today. Please know that we will have counselors and social workers available for anyone who needs support in the aftermath of this incident.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we navigate this situation together.”
MCPD released a final update on X stating:
“A juvenile male has been taken into custody following the lockdown at Bethesda Chevy Chase H.S. The teen was in possession of an Airsoft gun and has been charged accordingly.”
According to FindLaw.com, “Airsoft guns are similar to BB guns or pellet guns. Manufacturers make them look like real machine guns, rifles, and handguns. Airsoft guns typically fire pellets via gas, spring, or electrical systems. People use them for paintball-style gaming, target practice, firearms training, and as movie props.”
Many airsoft guns, such as the offending one on Feb. 25, look very similar to real firearms.
