What happened at Bowie High School? Lockdown lifted as authorities arrest student over suspected gun incident

On Wednesday, April 7, Bowie High School in Bowie, Maryland, was placed under lockdown after the local police received reports of an armed individual with a long gun at the town's library. After witnesses stated that the suspect might have been hiding in the school building, the school was shut down. The individual, a teenage boy, was arrested near Bowie High School. Officials determined that the suspected firearm was an airsoft gun.

Trigger warning: This article concerns gun violence in America, the reader's discretion is advised

After the suspect was arrested and the area was deemed secure, Bowie High School students were transported home on buses. Officials confirmed that there were no injuries and that the arrest was carried out without incident. The suspect's name was not released.

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Timeline of the Bowie High School Incident

As per WUSA9, officials received the first report of a suspected armed individual in the library at 12:47 pm. Authorities were concerned as the library shared the same parking lot as Bowie High School. By the time officers arrived at the scene, the suspect had reportedly left in a dark-colored vehicle. Surveillance cameras captured a man in a white t-shirt and black pants, armed with what they believed to be a long-arm weapon.

After authorities began to suspect that the person in question had entered the school premises, the students were forced to stay in their classrooms. Shelter-in-place orders were placed at Bowie High School as well as the Bowie Annex. Authorities searched the school but did not find the teen.

The Patch noted that at 3 pm, the suspect was found unarmed a short distance away from school. Officials eventually recovered the suspected weapon, which was discovered to be an air-soft gun that closely resembled a rifle.

In an official statement, the Bowie Police Department confirmed that the situation had been resolved.

The statement read:

"We are fortunate that this incident was resolved peacefully without injury or tragedy. We also extend our gratitude to the Prince George’s County Police, Prince George’s County Special Operations Division, Maryland State Police, Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff, ATF Hyattsville 2 Field Office, Greenbelt Police, Upper Marlboro Police and all the other allied police agencies that assisted."

As per the Washington Post, the suspect was taken into custody soon after his arrest. Authorities have not confirmed whether he had any connection to Bowie High School. Local officials are currently in the process of discussing pending charges over the incident.

While the situation was ultimately minor, authorities have clamped down on perceived threats in response to the spate of mass shootings in the country. The Guardian reported that as of May 7, there had been 202 mass shootings in America.