Gunfire-like Sounds Prompt School Lockdown In Winterport

Tensions were high in Winterport for a short while Wednesday morning, after a report of gunshots caused two local schools to go into lockdown until the source of the sound could be identified.

Officials with RSU 22 confirmed that the Leroy H. Smith elementary school on South Main Street in Winterport, along with the neighboring Samuel L. Wagner Middle School, located at 19 Williams Way, both implemented their lockdown protocols just after 9 AM Wednesday, as a precaution until law enforcement determined there was no threat to the public.

According to News Center Maine, Wagner students and staff were kept inside, with the doors and windows locked, while students at the elementary school shut everything down and hid.

"Leroy H. Smith School initiated a lockdown at about 9 a.m. after PreK students and staff outside on the playground reported hearing what may have been gunshots, RSU 22 said in a statement. The school implemented a “locks, lights, out of sight" protocol out of an abundance of caution, district officials said."

New Center Maine went on to say that the lockdowns were lifted later in the morning, after it was discovered that the noise was someone shooting in a sandpit near the school, according to one Waldo County Communications Center dispatcher.

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Earlier this year, a number of Maine schools went into lockdown after several swatting incidents caused alarm throughout the state, but were later dismissed.

According to the Kids Mental Health Foundation, students can often feel stressed out (understandably) after these lockdown situations. They suggest a number of things caregivers can do to help kids cope and process these incidents, and it all starts with opening the lines of communication; talking to your kids about how they feel.

"Check-in with them and ask open-ended questions about their experiences at school. If your child expresses fear about school safety, say things like, 'Tell me more about what worries you.' Children may have different ideas than we imagine that they will. It is important to allow them to guide the conversation so we can truly understand what they are thinking. Remember to validate their feelings as you have this conversation."

Experts say that while it's important to acknowledge and validate their feelings, it's also helpful for some kids to use physical release to deal with their anxiety and stress, so offering them an opportunity to move around and get some energy out might help also.

Other children might benefit from a calm activity. However your kids deals with the situation, offering them a space to process, direction and guidance, and also a sense of safety are the most important things you can do to support your student after a lockdown incident.