DAMARISCOTTA, Maine — A lockdown at the Great Salt Bay Community School in Damariscotta was lifted Wednesday afternoon after a man who had voiced suicidal intentions was found by police in Hancock County.
The situation began to unfold at about 9:35 a.m. when the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department received information that caused concern about the safety of a 36-year-old Bristol man whose name has not been released.
The man was believed to be distraught about a pending child custody situation, according to a press release from the sheriff’s department. Based on the report, police believed at the time that the man was last seen driving from Bristol toward Damariscotta, where the kindergarten-through-eighth-grade Great Salt Bay Community School is located at 559 Main St.
Because of the man’s connection to the school — his children are students there, according to Jodi Prior, an administrative assistant at the Damariscotta Police Department — the school was put in lockdown as a precautionary measure. Lockdown status calls for heightened security at the school, including strict restrictions on who enters or leaves the building.
“At no time did deputies have any information that caused them to believe that children attending the Great Salt Bay School were in any danger,” reads a statement from Lincoln County Lt. Rand Maker. “The decision to lock down the school was advised in order to remove any disruption that could have been caused if this man had decided to go to the school.”
The man, who did not go to the school Wednesday, was located just after noon on Verona Island by deputies with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. Maker said he did not know why the man drove north to Hancock County. The deputies allowed the man to talk with his doctor and determined that there was no immediate threat to others or himself. He was released after being detained briefly on Route 1 on Verona Island, according to police.
Prior said the man had mentioned suicide to a family member because of the child custody issue. The family member, in turn, notified the school.
In addition to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by Bucksport Police, sheriff’s departments in Waldo and Knox counties, the Maine State Police, the Damariscotta Police Department, the Lincoln County Communications Center and U.S. Cellular.
No charges have been filed in connection with the situation and no further investigation is planned, according to Maker.
There is no threat inside the school, and it wasn’t a threat against the school,” Prior said. “Just as a precaution, they locked down the school.”
So, no threat inside, no threat against the school…locking it down for no real credible reason? This story just makes no sense…
Sometimes if there is a wanted person at large, they lock down the school to prevent him or her from coming in and having a hostage situation.
What I gathered is that there’s something going on outside the school that may be a threat. Perhaps someone who may enter the school to get away from authorities? That may be way off base, but that’s what I was thinking.
It does if there is a bust going down, or criminal activity near the school. Remember the fugitive a few years ago that hid in a school while running from the law? Better safe than sorry
@concernsme – Yes, that’s what I was thinking. You said it much better than I did. Words are not my friend today for some reason.
Sometimes it is better to keep these issues under wraps until the situation is defused. It makes it a much safer situation and provides better for security. But what does the media know about that.
Agreed. Social Media as well. Everyone has a voice yes, but use it wisely.
Sometimes there is a domestic disturbance at a home and the children are at the school. A school might lock-down if there is a possibility that one of the parties might try to involve their kids. I’ve seen that happen before in our town. Just a precaution. I hope it’s nothing.
You know what makes me mad about some people on here, you comment and speculate on things and its not even close. Lets wait for the authorities to release the whole info, not speculate or say you know what it is
That is rich kenzie. I have seen you do this exact thing.
I do not go speculating, like you do or other commenters. Learn how to be respectful to these other people.
I have never speculated on something that I don’t know about on this or any other internet forum. I do agree with you that others do speculate- in fact, I would contend that you do. Two brief examples of you doing so: 1) Last November when the drug bust on Ohio Street was occuring you stated that it was because people had put bath salts in Halloween candy; 2) You have speculated many times that you know not only who Justin Dipietro’s lawyer is but that Justin’s arrest was imminent.
Shall I find more?
At least i do not comment on every article like you do
I do not comment on every article. Perhaps less than 5% of the ones that I read. If the article interests me or I have some particular VERIFIABLE knowledge, I tend to make a comment or two.
It is no accident that school administrators and other authorities use prison terminology; IE “lockdown”
The term “lockdown” was origionally coined shortly after Attica to describe what authorities did to prison inmates when there was a threat of escape and or violence.
If I had children today, I would home school them.
maybe drug related . maybe they found the second person in the triple murder who knows
i think i know what it is. bucksport high school turned down a maine state supreme court appeal hearing because there was security issues. i wonder if that is why that it is being held there. it involved a murder stabbing case in bangor involving gangs bucksport high school turned it down because of possible security issues
From the article you referred to:
“During its annual educational tour, the Law Court also will visit Biddeford High School on Oct. 23 and Brunswick High School on Oct. 24. “
one of those two schools could get the bangor case. i guess the principal at boucksport played it smart not to allow it at bucksport because the security issues in that case.it was a highly emotional case. cant blame him. playing it safe. familys and friends of both sides. bucksport is close to bangor . they did the lockdown in this case right .
good ending
What a waste of time and resources this one was huh? The guy didn’t even go near the school, he was not a danger to himself or anybody else…slow day I guess!
The school did exactly the right thing! Thank you to all involved.
BDN shouldn’t have even written a story about this non-event.