Northwest Elementary light lockdown continues
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on March 28, 2017 12:41 PM
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Northwest Elementary School is on a soft lockdown until further notice after a report of a suspicious person in the area following an overnight manhunt.
PIKEVILLE -- Northwest Elementary School is on a soft lockdown until further notice after a report of a suspicious person in the area following an overnight manhunt.
Maj. Tom Effler said he could not confirm whether or not the suspicious person spotted in the area, which prompted the lockdown, is the person authorities are searching for.
Effler said the soft lockdown means one deputy is staged at the school at 1769 Pikeville-Princeton Road and others are in the area.
Effler said he did not have a description of the suspicious person available.
Wayne County Public Schools' Director of Communication Services Ken Derksen said the lockdown began around 9 a.m. Tuesday after a suspicious person was spotted within a mile of the school.
Derksen said the doors to the school are locked, but instruction will continue and students can go between classes.
Derksen also said the school is expected to dismiss at its regular time, and extra law enforcement will be called for support if necessary.
Deputies were seen patrolling the area in their cars around noon.
A man eluded law enforcement twice in the past 24 hours after reportedly shooting at a man at the Speedway gas station at 1501 U.S. 70 West.
The person authorities are looking for is described as being a 5-foot-9-inch tall black man with close cut hair in his 20s.
Authorities hunted the man through Monday night and into this morning, clearing the area around 4 a.m. before continuing their search.
The search began after the Goldsboro Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at the Speedway.
Following the shooting incident, at 3:12 p.m., a suspicious person matching the suspect's description was called in to deputies in the Green Valley area.
At 4:39 p.m., deputies spotted the suspect's vehicle, but no one was visible in the immediate area.
Effler said the deputies "set up" on the vehicle to watch and see if the suspect came back. In about half an hour, he did.
Deputies moved in, but the suspect tried to drive off. He wrecked the vehicle in a stand of trees atop a hill off of U.S. 70 West near the McDonald's.
The suspect then fled on foot and has not been seen by law enforcement since.
Editor's note ---- This story updates an earlier version reporting the lockdown. Updates will continue to be provided as details emerge.