GCSC schools briefly locked down Thursday

The Greencastle Community School Corporation briefly placed all five of its school buildings on lockdown Thursday afternoon as the Greencastle Police Department dealt with "a possible threat" in the neighborhood of Greencastle Middle School and Greencastle High School.

Superintendent Dawn Puckett reported the lockdowns to parents via voicemail and email at approximately 1 p.m. Thursday.

"All of our buildings were on lockdown for a short period of time midday today," Puckett said. "Our buildings are all secured at all times, but additional safety procedures were implemented today while the Greencastle Police Department worked to neutralize a possible threat in the neighborhood close to the GHS and GMS."

The lockdowns came at the request of Greencastle Police and were merely precautionary.

Police Chief Tom Sutherlin told the Banner Graphic that officers were called to a location east of the schools to investigate a possible violation of a protective order.

When police began arriving, the subject ran. The proximity of the two schools prompted police to notify the school corporation and request a lockdown.

GPD and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department began investigating the incident, but the alleged victim refused to press any charges.

At this point, the manhunt was canceled and the lockdown was lifted.

The entire event came and went rather quickly, as Puckett's notification of the lockdown to parents also advised that it had already been lifted as of 1 p.m.

"Rest assured that all students and staff were protected by our safety procedures and the actions of our local police force," Puckett told parents.