News Release Wednesday, January 20, 2021 4:00 p.m.
Monroe County Schools Return to Normal
Safety Status at End of School Day
At the end of the school day today (Wednesday, January 20, 2021), all Monroe County Schools returned to normal status after spending the day in heightened security alert.
School officials have been notified by law enforcement agencies that the search for an at-large suspect has been cancelled. Officials believe the suspect likely left the immediate area earlier in the day.
Monroe County Schools officials have remained in constant contact with law enforcement officials all during this manhunt which began about 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. As the situation changed rapidly, officers maintained extra visibility and presence on all school campuses.
According to Superintendent Dr. Mike Hickman, keeping students and staff safe remained the only focus of school administrators during the all-day event.
"As we monitored the situation with the help of law enforcement officials, a host of safety actions were taken by school administrators during the day," said Dr. Hickman. "We have worked hard all day to keep our school staffs updated and to notify parents of what was a constantly-changing situation as information was verified with local law enforcement. As we always strive to improve, we will evaluate all the events of the day and make any needed adjustments for the future."
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