Three Arlington schools were “secured” following a deadly shooting in Alexandria this morning (Thursday).
After Arlington Public Schools received word of the shooting, on the 2400 block of Ridge Road in Alexandria, Gunston Middle School, Oakridge Elementary and Abingdon Elementary were placed in a secured state, which generally means exterior doors were locked. That’s different than a “lockdown,” in which all classroom doors are locked.
The shooting happened in a residential Alexandria neighborhood around 11:30 a.m. A 59-year-old woman was killed and another woman was injured. Police are still looking for the suspect, described as an older white male, according to the Washington Post.
Gunston, Oakridge and Abingdon were secured for about 20 minutes, according to APS spokeswoman Jennifer Harris. The schools are all near the border with Alexandria, but are 2+ miles away from the shooting itself. Arlington school officials sent the following message to parents during the incident.
APS is sending this message to notify you that Gunston Middle School, Oakridge Elementary School and Abingdon Elementary School buildings are currently secured, due to an ongoing Alexandria Police investigation in the immediate area. All students, staff, and visitors to the school are safe. APS will update you when we are able to resume normal operations. We are grateful for everyone’s cooperation.
