Editor -- A Taylor County Officer was shot following an incident in which Rodney Long, an inmate at the Clarinda Correctional Facility, escaped. The officer, Dan Wyckoff, was life-flighted to Omaha with non-life threatening injuries according to news reports from KCCI TV. The suspect was still at large as of 4:00 Monday afternoon somewhere in rural Taylor County. Subsequent to the incident, the school got a call from a concerned citizen and Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz ordered the school placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure. Classes continued to be taught and school was dismissed as normal. The following is a news release issued by the school:
The Worth County R-III Schools locked all outside doors Monday,
August 19, 2013 as a precautionary measure because of news reports of an
escaped convict in the vicinity of Bedford, IA.
Mr.
Chuck Borey, Assistant Principal, communicated with parents via the
communication system. “We have locked
the building down as a precaution. With this type of lockdown, teachers and
students continue the learning process. We, however, limit the access of the
building and keep students inside the main building.” Students that must go to
the exterior buildings are escorted by an adult.
Dr.
Matthew Martz, Superintendent, received word about the escaped convict from a
concerned citizen. Once Martz confirmed
the information with the Worth County Sherriff’s Department, he issued the
precautionary lock down.
“One of our primary goals here at Worth County R-III is to keep
our kids safe so they can learn. While the locked doors create a little bit of
a nuisance, I think everyone can agree that protecting our children is worth
the inconvenience,” said Martz.
As
of the end of the school day, the escapee had still not been apprehended.
Reports indicated, however, that he had not crossed into Missouri, leading the
school to dismiss students and resume afternoon and evening activities.
As part of the
Emergency Crisis Preparedness Program, school district officials and staff
regularly practice a variety of emergency drills with the students.
Editor -- Law enforcement officers from three different states are involved in the pursuit; however, Worth County sheriff's deputies said that they were not involved in the pursuit although Sheriff Terry Sheddrick was monitoring traffic. Persons with any information about suspicious persons in the area are encouraged to call the Worth County Sheriff's office at (660) 564-2222. For emergencies, call 911.
No comments:
Post a Comment