Tensions were high last night as Germantown Police, together with Washington County sheriff's deputies and other law enforcement agencies, swarmed Germantown High School following a 911 call that claimed an unidentified male, dressed entirely in black, entered the building with a gun. The intense scene led to an immediate response with officers sweeping the facility and people inside either evacuating or seeking shelter. However, the Germantown Police Department later determined that the tip was a false alarm, according to information from FOX6 News.
Confusion and fear spread rapidly as individuals inside the high school received conflicting messages, some being told to run, others to hide. "The head coach came to the doors, and just shouted, 'Run!' I kind of looked at him, like, 'Are you kidding me?'" one parent recounted, as reported by a 12 News Reporter Emily Pofahl interview. The same report indicated, that the initial call was not believed to be fabricated. The police continued their evacuations while the school underwent a thorough search by officers and SWAT teams, with no suspect or weapon discovered, as detailed by WISN 12 News.
The Germantown School District assured the community this morning that the high school campus was "safe and secure" and that normal activities would resume. This message was echoed in the statements obtained by WISN 12 News early in the day. Furthermore, law enforcement plans to conduct an additional review of surveillance footage on Monday to thoroughly investigate the incident.
Despite no physical injuries being reported, the scare was not without consequence, as the district reported that one person was treated and taken to the hospital for a medical-related incident caused by the stress of the situation, TMJ4 confirmed.
