Woodgrove High School secured over threat

A mental health treatment provider contacted the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday night about the alleged threat, according to LCSO spokeswoman Michele Bowman. She said an investigation began immediately and extra deputies were sent to patrol outside the school at 36811 Allder School Road in Purcellville off Hillsboro Road on Thursday morning.

The securing of the school ended around 12:45 p.m., according to an email to parents from Woodgrove Principal William S. Shipp.

“Loudoun County Public Schools takes every threat seriously and the safety and security of all students and employees is our highest priority,” Shipp wrote. “We ask that all parents remind their children of ‘See Something, Say Something’ and the Safe2Talk app. Please report inappropriate behavior or any safety concerns involving our school community to school administrators.”

Bowman said the woman, who wasn’t charged criminally, was detained in a traffic stop around 11:30 a.m. in the western part of Loudoun and didn’t go to the school. Bowman said she didn’t have specifics on what the alleged threat was.

In Virginia, people deemed to be threat to themselves or others can be held under an ECO for up to eight hours while a psychiatric evaluation is done to determine if they can be released or if a temporary detention order is needed. A person under a TDO can be held up to 72 hours before a hearing with a special magistrate.

The incident was the second this week involving an alleged threat to a county school. On Tuesday, Leesburg police said they made extra patrols at Harper Park Middle School at 701 Potomac Station Drive NE in Leesburg off Leesburg Pike after an alleged threat by a student. The threat was deemed bogus.

Correction This article originally said the school had been locked down, but has been corrected to reflect that it was “secured,” a lower level of security protocol in the LCPS system. 5f858ea0-8002-4bb7-ae40-51072418d36e