Man who threatened to bring gun to S. Williamsport school apprehended
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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT -- A man who was served a protection-from-abuse order in Clinton County Wednesday morning -- whose two children attend Central Elementary School in the South Williamsport Area School District -- made a remark that he was going to go to the school with a gun to get his kids. This prompted lockdowns at three school district buildings until he was apprehended shortly after 1 p.m. by state police at Lamar.
The mobilization by numerous law enforcement agencies and lockdowns by the school district led to a swarm of parents and guardians, many of whom had received emergency alert text notices or were getting word by mouth, to gather a block or so from the school building, as police secured all three school district buildings. Ensuring neither students nor staff would be able to leave until the individual was taken into custody, which he was, said Steven W. Cappelli, borough manager and its public safety director.
Cappelli was on the scene and said he was informed that the lockdown of Central, Rommelt and the senior and junior high schools would have continued until the man was in police custody, regardless of whether the school day was over or not.
The district also announced that the threat over and the lockdowns would end because the individual in question was in custody.
The name of the man was not immediately released, but the Express was told by borough officials that his last name was Orso, unrelated to Joe Orso, borough solicitor.
Once the threat was made, that set up a coordinated effort to keep the students and staff inside safe. The individual had not gone on the school property, Cappelli said.
The mobilization of law enforcement officials took place, with individuals from the Lycoming County District Attorney office, the office of Sheriff Mark Lusk and deputies, the county Narcotics Enforcement Unit, Montoursville Borough Police, Old Lycoming Township Police and state police securing the perimeters of the buildings, Cappelli said.
Parents gathered in the predominantly residential borough, lined with houses in the areas of the school buildings, received text messages from school administration updating them.
The man who made the threat also was in communication with the state police, Cappelli said.
Cappelli said with much assurance that the individual was believed to be in custody within a matter of minutes or hours.
Parents were given the choice to either take their children home early or allow them to remain there until the end of the school day.
Cappelli said he remained on the scene for more than an hour assisting in the communication while the incident was happening and when it was deemed to be over.
He commended the parents, grandparents and guardians for their patience and self-control.
"No one was demanding," Cappelli said.
The parents were supportive of the police in uniform and the school officials. It will be determined by either the district attorney in Clinton County or Lycoming County as to what charges may be filed in the incident.