Pierce County Sheriff Briefly Puts Emerald Hills Elementary in School Lockdown

The Pierce County Sheriff put Emerald Hills Elementary on lockdown around 12:53 p.m. this afternoon as they searched the nearby area for a vehicle theft suspect. About 30 minutes later they apprehended the suspect and called off the lockdown.

"Dispatch called the school and gave them directions," said Ann Cook, communications spokesperson for the Sumner School District. "That is the fastest way to relay information to us when a suspect becomes close to school grounds."

The school sent out an email notification to Emerald Hills parents to notify them of the lockdown as a 'courtesy,' said Cook. During a lockdown parents are not allowed to pick up their children from the school.

In a lockdown, signs are posted on the doors and the exterior and interior doors are locked and students are told to stay away from the windows and to keep low to the ground. Curtains or blinds are closed, lights are turned off and students can only talk quietly. Students who were outside at recess or in the gym must return to the building.