Bowie High and the Belair Annex went on lockdown after a report of a man with a gun near the library, but luckily, it was just an air-soft gun and no one was harmed. I’m thankful for the quick response from the police and school officers, and I’m pushing for better safety measures at the school moving forward.
Here are the highlights:
- Bowie High School and Belair Annex were placed on lockdown due to a report of a man with a long gun at the Bowie Library.
- Police responded quickly and apprehended the suspect near the school grounds after an exhaustive search.
- The suspect was found with an air-soft gun resembling a rifle, and no real firearms were involved.
- No one was harmed during the incident, which lasted just under two hours.
- The investigation is ongoing, and there are plans to revisit security measures at Bowie High School.
- Residents are encouraged to keep the school community in their thoughts as the school year concludes.
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Bowie High Incident Follow Up
Bowie High School and the Belair Annex were placed on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after police received a call of a lone man with a long gun at the Bowie Library, adjacent to the high school.
Bowie Police responded quickly, calling in assistance from several additional agencies. Following witness interviews and an exhaustive search of the high school, police apprehended the suspect near school grounds. No one was harmed and the incident was resolved in just under two hours.
Police recovered an air-soft gun that resembled a rifle and concluded no firearms were in the suspect's possession. This came as little relief to students, parents, faculty, and law enforcement, who spent the afternoon bracing for the worst.
The investigation is ongoing, and I am immensely grateful that no one was harmed and that the suspect was apprehended quickly. Big kudos are owed to Bowie police and school resource officers who acted quickly and thoughtfully.
In case it weren't obvious, bringing an air-soft gun, or any weapon, near a school in 2023 is a dunce move that law enforcement will take seriously.
While we came away without anyone harmed in this incident, I am in touch with county and school officials about revisiting security at Bowie High School. My goal is to gather more facts and find ways we can improve student and staff safety.
In the meantime, I would ask residents continue to keep Bowie High School students, staff, and local law enforcement in your thoughts as we close out the school year.
The most recent Bowie Police Chief Chat discussing this incident and other current issues is here.