MARYLAND — Washington College in Chestertown, Md. was locked down on Monday due to a warning call about a missing student carrying a gun.
Representatives wrote on the college’s website that they had received a notification from the parents of the sophomore Jacob Marberger — student government leader and member of the college’s fraternity —, alerting the institution that their son had returned home and retrieved a gun, and they don’t know his whereabouts or where he was planning to go.
As a safety measure, the college decided to shut down campus, alerting the students who remain there to stay inside the building, and for those who are outside, to stay away until further notice.
They also assured that the campus is receiving support from the local law enforcement, who are inspecting the place and reinforcing security.
So far, there are no proofs that Marberger has broken any law, so he’s currently being treated as a missing person rather than a fugitive. College spokesman Michael O’Connor said that you could call the institution’s safety measures “an overabundance of caution”, while advising students to either shelter in place or remain far from the college.
Later in the morning the institution’s webpage posted an update explaining that Marberger was believed to still be in Pennsylvania — where he is from —, however, even after confirming with the Chestertown Police Department that he had a missing person status, Washington College decided to remain in lockdown as a precaution.
The student was last seen driving a 1997 dark green Land Rover, carrying a Pennsylvania license plate which starts with the letters “JWY”. His height is 5’4″, he weighs 130 pounds, has white skin and curly brown hair.
Washington College is not the only academic institution taking precautions in the lights of Marberger’s disappearance. Some high schools took measures such as having recess indoors, and the student’s former high school is currently shut down as well while the investigation takes place.
“Students and staff are safe, with normal operations going on inside of the building. District representatives just learned that Washington College, in Maryland, instituted a lockdown due to a threat to their campus made by a person who is a former Cheltenham student. We have been notified that this individual is not presently in our area. We are utilizing an abundance of caution, nonetheless,” posted the school on its website.
Both Marberger’s parents and the student government association president have refrained from comments on the topic so far.
Source: The Washington Post