Isaac's school in lockdown

Here's a link to what happened:
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2009/02/11/news/top_story/5aaa00_manshot.txt

Yesterday was a normal day feeding Isaac lunch and getting him ready for school, and I was thrilled that we were getting out the door right at 12:20 so we would have plenty of time to get Isaac to class and not be rushed (the side of the building where we have to park is locked so we have to walk around the school to the only entrance that's open and then go upstairs, walk thru the school and downstairs to get to his class). Since it was rainy out I decided to drive, but with the school being 2 blocks away when the weather is nice we walk.

So I drive Isaac to school and I park on the street and had just gotten Isaac out of the car when his teacher, Elizabeth, comes running out of the building and approaches me. She tells me that the school is in lockdown and so it's up to me if I want to leave Isaac at school or take him back home. I asked what happened, and what she'd heard is that someone had escaped from the courthouse which was about another 2 blocks away. She explained that all the kids were inside and safe and they had the blinds drawn shut, which I thought was great because Isaac's class is in the basement level and being outside you can see directly into the classrooms. I decide to take Isaac with me, and Elizabeth stayed to make sure we got loaded safe and I wished her luck and we drove off. I had a few errands to run, so I had to take Isaac with me. We drove out from the school to get the the bank, and just as we went thru the major intersection there a bunch of police cars and fire trucks blocked it off. I did my bank business quickly and had Isaac say a prayer that everyone would be safe. I was going to head to Rite-Aid next, but from where I was at all the on-ramps to the highway were blocked by police by then, so I made a huge go-around and went to the pharmacy first. As we're driving towards a further entrance to the highway, I notice police and firetrucks completely surrounding our neighborhood, and I still thought it was something to do with someone from the courthouse, so I'm thinking this isn't Michael Phelps who hit the bong too many times, this is someone who's probably dangerous. And it obviously had just happened with all these police suddenly showing up. From the route I had to take they had about a mile radius blocked with all sorts of police and emergency vehicles. I was able to get to Rite-Aid which is a few miles away, and we spent extra time inside there and I let Isaac browse their toy aisles. I have to go to the bathroom ALOT so I know we have to head home, and as we're driving home I notice that the police cars are all gone and kids are also out on the playground. So I figure everything is okay again. I had Isaac say another prayer of thanks, and we went home and stayed inside with our doors locked the rest of the day.

Today when I took Isaac to school, they gave me a note that had been sent home with the kids yesterday. I did ask if lockdowns are something that happens often, and the one teacher aid who's been there 5 years said that's only the 2nd time it's happened at our school. It was a really scary thing, seeing the school in lockdown and all the police everywhere. We never had lockdowns growing up, so this was a new thing for me too. I'm glad I didn't know exactly what was going on until I saw the website today, because I was already scared and weepy (aka pregnant), and I think if I'd known it would have terrified me that I would've left town the entire rest of the day. I won't live my life being afraid to go to my own home.

The note from the school says:

Dear Parents, Central School was in secure lock down due to some police activity near the building today. Students were in lock-down from 12:15-1:00 and then were given permission by the Albany Police Department to resume our normal school activities. During this time lunch was interrupted, although, after the lock-down was concluded we allowed those students whom may have missed lunch to eat.

You must know our students and staff did an amazing job implementing the lock down and making Central School safe.

I have been told a suspect was apprehended not too far from Central School and the situation was indeed a potentially dangerous one.

Thanks to the Albany Police Department for their diligent response to this event and assisting to keep our students safe.

Sincerely,
John Hunter, Principal

Scary, huh? I'm grateful that the timing was just right that Isaac and I were right on time for school because if we'd been running late then we wouldn've been in the middle of the police surrounding the neighborhood instead of seeing it happen in my rear-view mirror. I'm grateful we were driving instead of walking thru all that. I pray that it doesn't happen again at any school Isaac attends, because I would have been worried sick if he'd been in the school when that happened and I wouldn't have been able to keep him safe. The rest of yesterday afternoon we played games and watched movies, and so today he asked me if today was another "special" day (meaning movie day) and he was disappointed when I told him no, everything was back to normal :)