As the Cumberland County Board of Education Jan. 25 meeting was getting started, investigators were down the hall working with school personnel to help identify a potential threat.
The threat was deemed “non-credible” just hours later. A juvenile in Virginia is facing charges for the social media post.
But some are still questioning the school system’s response to a school breach on Jan. 11.
Hannah Brattem, who lives in Putnam County, addressed the board on behalf of her niece, who attends Martin.
“There was an unlocked exterior door at my niece’s school,” she said. “As a teacher and an aunt, I’m angry that my niece could have been subjected to violence because of a simple mistake.
“I know what it’s like being a teacher. I understand the fatigue. But I understand a simple mistake could cost us so many lives. There’s just too much at stake.”
According to a police report, Tyler Royce Wolfe, 26, of Fairfield Glade, was arrested Jan. 11 on charges of felony evading arrest and aggravated trespassing.
School Resource Officer MPtl. Joel Stevens wrote a school counselor came to his office and told him, “I need you out here now,” adding that a man dressed in black and carrying a backpack had walked out the front door of the office and left the building.
A physical education teacher told Stevens the man had entered the school through a rear gym door. The teacher asked what the man was doing in the school.
The man walked to a parked 2018 Honda Fit and ignored Stevens’ commands to stop.
Stevens called in the vehicle’s tag number and the vehicle was stopped moments later on Hwy. 70 E. in the area of the bowling alley.
Det. Jon Tollett took the suspect into custody without incident. A search was conducted which yielded no weapons. A vehicle was found in plain view.
Wolfe was released from jail on bond. Information on his court date was not available.
While parents zoned to attend Martin Elementary received an automated phone call that afternoon from school principal Christie VanWinkle, there have been comments that the notification left out students who are zoned for other schools but attend Martin for comprehensive special education services.
Director of Schools William Stepp said everyone at the school was immediately retrained on school safety procedures, including ensuring exterior doors are secured.
Part of the school system’s procedures are to have the school resource officer check exterior doors regularly to ensure they are secure. Doors that do not properly latch are immediately referred to the maintenance department to be fixed, Stepp told the Chronicle.
Following the incident, Stepp said the school’s threat assessment team met with law enforcement and Homeland Security to review what took place.
“They praised our training and that teachers were approaching the individuals in 18 seconds and getting him to the office,” Stepp said.