Handgun found in substitute's backpack triggers lockdown at Glen Burnie High School

GLEN BURNIE, Md. - An Anne Arundel County high school was placed on lockdown Friday after a handgun was found inside a backpack. 

In a letter sent home to families, Glen Burnie High School's Principal Kevin Carr said the backpack belonged to a substitute teacher. 

The bag was left behind as students were dismissed from third period and was found by a staff member. Carr said the school was then immediately placed on lockdown, and the backpack was given to police. 

It didn't take long for authorities to discover it belonged to a substitute teacher who by then was instructing in another classroom.

The person responsible for bringing the weapon onto school grounds was detained by police and has been barred from serving as a substitute teacher or any other role in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. 

Carr commended the students for how they handled the situation Friday. "They were calm and orderly, and followed directions of staff," he said. 

Read the full letter sent home to Glen Burnie High School families below: 

Dear Glen Burnie High School Families: 

I am writing to provide more information to you regarding the lockdown at our school today. As you were informed earlier this afternoon, we placed the school on lockdown just after 2:10 p.m. after a handgun was located in a classroom. The incident began when a backpack was found left behind in a classroom as classes dismissed from third period and students were moving to fourth period. A staff member in the classroom picked up the backpack to determine the identity of its owner, and discovered a handgun in the backpack when they opened it. The school was immediately placed on lockdown, the backpack was given to police, and the substitute teacher was subsequently removed from another classroom. He did not have the backpack in his possession when he was removed from that classroom. As the incident was being investigated, students were held in classrooms and there was no movement in the hallways. Within several minutes, it was determined that the backpack belonged to a substitute teacher. That person was detained by police. I want to be clear that we have no evidence at this time that the backpack was in the possession of any student today. We also have no information that the handgun was ever taken out of the backpack. The person identified in this incident has been barred from serving as a substitute teacher or acting in any other role in our school system. I want to commend our students for the outstanding way in which they handled this situation. They were calm and orderly, and followed directions of staff. Please take time to discuss this matter with your student tonight, and to thank them for the way in which they acted. Please also urge them to report anything that makes them feel unsafe to a responsible adult as soon as possible. Any safety concern can also be addressed through the Student Safety Hotline at 833-MD-BSAFE that can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sincerely, 

Kevin Carr Principal