Man accused of threatening self, others leads to lock-down at local schools

Clay Community Schools were locked down on Tuesday as police searched three counties and later found a suicidal male who used social media to threaten himself and others, police say.

The Vigo County Sheriff's Department reports that around 10:30 a.m. the agency received information that a Vigo County man was allegedly posting threats on Facebook. Further investigation revealed the man was "posting threatening information towards the general public, law enforcement and himself," according to the report.

On his Facebook page, the man posted "Today's the last day of my so called life." He also posted "thanks but no thanks" to law enforcement who reportedly called him expressing their concerns.

The VCSD checked several possible locations for the man to no avail. Detectives later developed information that led them to a location in Clay County.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office was notified around 12:30 p.m. that the man was in the area, possibly around Bowling Green.

"While several officers canvased the area, more threats were made by the suspect; however, these threats were made to the Vigo County School Corp.," according to a news release from the CCSO. "As a precaution, both Clay and Vigo County schools were placed on lock-down."

The CCSO also called in all of its off-duty officers to man each of the county's schools until the man was located.

Meanwhile, the VCSD reports that an Indiana State Police trooper spotted the suspect's vehicle and followed it to his mother's rural Owen County address, just outside of Bowling Green.

"A man ... exited the vehicle and went into the house before officers could speak with him," the VCSD report states. "After a short time, (the man) exited the residence without incident and surrendered to officers."

He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and further investigation.

There were no weapons in his possession, and no charges are pending at this time, all according to the VCSD.

Tucker discusses lock-down

CCS Superintendent Kimberly Tucker said she learned from VCSC Superintendent Danny Tanoos that police in Vigo County were in pursuit of someone who made threats and was making his way to Clay County.

"At that point, we spoke with local law enforcement and put all of our schools on hard lock-down just so we could confirm with police about the situation and because we didn't know the location where this suspect might be," Tucker said. "As soon as we had that information, we went to what I refer to as a soft lock-down, which means external doors are locked and we are on heightened supervision on who comes into the building through the office doors."

Further discussion with law enforcement led Tucker to put students on a regular dismissal schedule "because, at that point, we didn't have any reason to believe the suspect was in the area," she said.