Magruder HS Shooting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is disturbing is that shooter was still in school with gun and leadership is communicating that there was no threat. I get they retracted and apologized later but it isn’t okay. Of course there was a little panic and leadership tendency is to try to calm folks. But I will never believe what is being told to me again by MCPS and Dr. Evans. How dare you say there is no safety threat when there is. Is this an overreaction on my part? I still am fuming about this, we want updates but not lies!

It’s unacceptable. The constant lies from MCPS are just unacceptable. The culture there needs significant change. Culture starts at the top.

Agreed. We saw this in Damascus when MCPS actively tried to cover up the story. We saw it with the Rockville case where MCPS actively tried to cover things up. We see it over and over. There is an enormous lack of transparency in MCPS, along with a lack of accountability.

Our students are unsafe because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Magruder teacher if anyone has any questions. Kids were very good during the lockdown. Staff were pretty positive. All of us are new to this so it is hard to process it. Felt like a normal day. Lockdown was relaxed with most students just on phones. The worst part by far was not being able to use the restroom.

I agree that communication sucked. They wouldnt even tell us any details even though it’s all over the news/Twitter.

I’m sorry this happened to you and your students and coworkers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are so lucky this didn’t end up as a shoot out.

Well now there are official in-school shootings you can bet more kids will be packing in school.
If only there was some sort of resource inside the school who was in on what what stewing with the kids before it boils over. Some kind of officer as a dedicated resource to school.

Bring back SROs. What did Jawando have to say about this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Magruder teacher if anyone has any questions. Kids were very good during the lockdown. Staff were pretty positive. All of us are new to this so it is hard to process it. Felt like a normal day. Lockdown was relaxed with most students just on phones. The worst part by far was not being able to use the restroom.

I agree that communication sucked. They wouldnt even tell us any details even though it’s all over the news/Twitter.

I'm sorry you had to experience this.
Can you confirm:
so no food, drink or bathrooms.
and held an additional hour to wait for the super.
and suspect was among the student body for 2 hours before apprehended (when parents? thought the threat was over)? Did you realize shooter was still at the school?

We were on lockdown. Police wouldn’t let us leave rooms for any reason. School was treated as a crime scene basically, so no one could leave rooms. No food or drink except for what kids had on them. It’s not like the cafeteria was open or anything.

We were not given any details or updates while in the building regarding events going on. Except for a photo sent out asking if that person was in anyone’s room. Not sure if that person was directly involved or not. No information about ongoing threats, suspect in a room. The issue was first treated as a health issue when the boy was found and ambulances were called. The school was put on lockdown to allow ambulance personnel to arrive. The first thought is that he injured himself intentionally but there was no knife. Then there was the realization that it must be a gunshot when the ambulance crew determined the injury, but no gun was found. So obviously there must be another student involved. It took time to ID the student, determine location and make a plan to remove student from the classroom safely. That explains the two hours of time needed before the suspect was apprehended and the lack of communication so that no one was tipped off.

Once he was apprehended, evidence collected , and they made sure no one was involved then the moved to securing the building and removing students. At that point there were 35 police cars and overhead news chopper and the local inspections had been closed backing up all the traffic. Obviously McKnight and others didn’t have a helicopter to arrive on site. Traffic was backed up for miles. Kids could leave in until buses arrived which is also when the McKnight and other staff were finally able arrive. There was not conspiracy or anything. Just traffic. Staff stayed until almost 7pm when we had a short meeting with no details given except a reference to “health emergency” and introductions to the the county staff in charge of things going forward. They asked us not to give interviews.

[Anonymous]

The message sent to Magruder parents at 1:28pm:

Magruder High School is currently in a Lockdown addressing a student health situation. There is no immediate threat to the safety of staff or students. We are remaining in a lockdown out of an abundance of caution and will share more information shortly. Please stand by.

This is when they were aware a student was shot in bathroom and they are searching for shooter in school. SWATs teams were there. Someone should be fired for this. It is not okay to lie. Just isn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Magruder teacher if anyone has any questions. Kids were very good during the lockdown. Staff were pretty positive. All of us are new to this so it is hard to process it. Felt like a normal day. Lockdown was relaxed with most students just on phones. The worst part by far was not being able to use the restroom.

I agree that communication sucked. They wouldnt even tell us any details even though it’s all over the news/Twitter.

Sorry you had this happen at your school.

Why were you held hostage without bathrooms for 3 hours after the shooter had already been detained?

NP, I’m assuming that was a law enforcement decision.

My kid knows several kids at the school and was texting with them throughout. Word is the gun was not with the shooter when apprehended and they had to find the weapon and then clear the school for safety.

And then what?????? 3 hours of no bathrooms or food.

[Anonymous]

Seeking confirmation that the shooter was loose and unidentified for a some hours in a classrom with unsuspecting students/teachers.


This is the smoking gun.


All the whining about lack of water/food/pee spots/tardy release are negligible. Police were investigating the crime scene then buses had to return to school in rush hour traffic.

But if they endangered lives by not catching the shooter hiding in plain sight...


... heads should roll.



And not just McKnight's, who has shown so many times this year that she is dangerously incompetent. She will cost us lives: Covid lives and gun lives. But what on earth was police doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are so lucky this didn’t end up as a shoot out.

Well now there are official in-school shootings you can bet more kids will be packing in school.
If only there was some sort of resource inside the school who was in on what what stewing with the kids before it boils over. Some kind of officer as a dedicated resource to school.

Bring back SROs. What did Jawando have to say about this?

They're "heartbroken" to hear this:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
We were on lockdown. Police wouldn’t let us leave rooms for any reason. School was treated as a crime scene basically, so no one could leave rooms. No food or drink except for what kids had on them. It’s not like the cafeteria was open or anything.

We were not given any details or updates while in the building regarding events going on. Except for a photo sent out asking if that person was in anyone’s room. Not sure if that person was directly involved or not. No information about ongoing threats, suspect in a room. The issue was first treated as a health issue when the boy was found and ambulances were called. The school was put on lockdown to allow ambulance personnel to arrive. The first thought is that he injured himself intentionally but there was no knife. Then there was the realization that it must be a gunshot when the ambulance crew determined the injury, but no gun was found. So obviously there must be another student involved. It took time to ID the student, determine location and make a plan to remove student from the classroom safely. That explains the two hours of time needed before the suspect was apprehended and the lack of communication so that no one was tipped off.

Once he was apprehended, evidence collected , and they made sure no one was involved then the moved to securing the building and removing students. At that point there were 35 police cars and overhead news chopper and the local inspections had been closed backing up all the traffic. Obviously McKnight and others didn’t have a helicopter to arrive on site. Traffic was backed up for miles. Kids could leave in until buses arrived which is also when the McKnight and other staff were finally able arrive. There was not conspiracy or anything. Just traffic. Staff stayed until almost 7pm when we had a short meeting with no details given except a reference to “health emergency” and introductions to the the county staff in charge of things going forward. They asked us not to give interviews.

Thanks for the report and for taking care of your students. I don't really fault school admin for the incorrect information given initially -- it was a rapidly changing situation and it was hard to figure things out.

[Anonymous]

They're all sending CYA letters because they're jointly responsible for not catching the shooter immediately.

And that letter sent by McKnight is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We were on lockdown. Police wouldn’t let us leave rooms for any reason. School was treated as a crime scene basically, so no one could leave rooms. No food or drink except for what kids had on them. It’s not like the cafeteria was open or anything.

We were not given any details or updates while in the building regarding events going on. Except for a photo sent out asking if that person was in anyone’s room. Not sure if that person was directly involved or not. No information about ongoing threats, suspect in a room. The issue was first treated as a health issue when the boy was found and ambulances were called. The school was put on lockdown to allow ambulance personnel to arrive. The first thought is that he injured himself intentionally but there was no knife. Then there was the realization that it must be a gunshot when the ambulance crew determined the injury, but no gun was found. So obviously there must be another student involved. It took time to ID the student, determine location and make a plan to remove student from the classroom safely. That explains the two hours of time needed before the suspect was apprehended and the lack of communication so that no one was tipped off.

Once he was apprehended, evidence collected , and they made sure no one was involved then the moved to securing the building and removing students. At that point there were 35 police cars and overhead news chopper and the local inspections had been closed backing up all the traffic. Obviously McKnight and others didn’t have a helicopter to arrive on site. Traffic was backed up for miles. Kids could leave in until buses arrived which is also when the McKnight and other staff were finally able arrive. There was not conspiracy or anything. Just traffic. Staff stayed until almost 7pm when we had a short meeting with no details given except a reference to “health emergency” and introductions to the the county staff in charge of things going forward. They asked us not to give interviews.

Thanks for the report and for taking care of your students. I don't really fault school admin for the incorrect information given initially -- it was a rapidly changing situation and it was hard to figure things out.

BS. No one heard a gun shot???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We were on lockdown. Police wouldn’t let us leave rooms for any reason. School was treated as a crime scene basically, so no one could leave rooms. No food or drink except for what kids had on them. It’s not like the cafeteria was open or anything.

We were not given any details or updates while in the building regarding events going on. Except for a photo sent out asking if that person was in anyone’s room. Not sure if that person was directly involved or not. No information about ongoing threats, suspect in a room. The issue was first treated as a health issue when the boy was found and ambulances were called. The school was put on lockdown to allow ambulance personnel to arrive. The first thought is that he injured himself intentionally but there was no knife. Then there was the realization that it must be a gunshot when the ambulance crew determined the injury, but no gun was found. So obviously there must be another student involved. It took time to ID the student, determine location and make a plan to remove student from the classroom safely. That explains the two hours of time needed before the suspect was apprehended and the lack of communication so that no one was tipped off.

Once he was apprehended, evidence collected , and they made sure no one was involved then the moved to securing the building and removing students. At that point there were 35 police cars and overhead news chopper and the local inspections had been closed backing up all the traffic. Obviously McKnight and others didn’t have a helicopter to arrive on site. Traffic was backed up for miles. Kids could leave in until buses arrived which is also when the McKnight and other staff were finally able arrive. There was not conspiracy or anything. Just traffic. Staff stayed until almost 7pm when we had a short meeting with no details given except a reference to “health emergency” and introductions to the the county staff in charge of things going forward. They asked us not to give interviews.

Thanks for the report and for taking care of your students. I don't really fault school admin for the incorrect information given initially -- it was a rapidly changing situation and it was hard to figure things out.

BS. No one heard a gun shot???

These schools are huge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are so lucky this didn’t end up as a shoot out.

Well now there are official in-school shootings you can bet more kids will be packing in school.
If only there was some sort of resource inside the school who was in on what what stewing with the kids before it boils over. Some kind of officer as a dedicated resource to school.

Bring back SROs. What did Jawando have to say about this?

They're "heartbroken" to hear this:

Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Will jawandos got to go!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Seeking confirmation that the shooter was loose and unidentified for a some hours in a classrom with unsuspecting students/teachers.


This is the smoking gun.


All the whining about lack of water/food/pee spots/tardy release are negligible. Police were investigating the crime scene then buses had to return to school in rush hour traffic.

But if they endangered lives by not catching the shooter hiding in plain sight...


... heads should roll.



And not just McKnight's, who has shown so many times this year that she is dangerously incompetent. She will cost us lives: Covid lives and gun lives. But what on earth was police doing?

Yes this needs to be repeated everywhere!

[Anonymous]

Not defending poor communication but this doesn't sound like a "typical" school shooting situation (I know that sounds terrible). If the victim couldn't communicate or identify the shooter while he is bleeding/seriously wounded, then it is going to take some time to figure out who the shooter is/where he is.

We're often quick to blame administration, police, etc. when all the blame should be placed on the shooter (and possibly his parents).