Mar 11, 2023 2 min read

South Central Elementary School was under lockdown for a brief period Thursday afternoon after a woman was seen carrying a rifle in a backpack near the school building.

Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome said Canonsburg police responded to a report of a woman dressed in camouflage and walking along South Jefferson Avenue at about 3:15 p.m.

The weapon was visible in the backpack.

Police notified Canon-McMillan School District administrators, and the school district implemented a lockdown.

Rhome said the woman was detained by police without incident and was transported to a medical facility for psychiatric evaluation.

“The Canonsburg Police Department will always take all precautions necessary to protect not only the school, but all of the residents in our community,” said Rhome. “South Central’s school resource officer was very involved in the lockdown and making sure the children were safe.”

School dismissal was delayed as a result of the incident.

In a statement to South Central school parents, the district wrote, “There was a police incident that was not related to the school but was in the area. This information was communicated with (School Resource Officer Carl) Fetcko. Out of an abundance of caution, we went into a lockdown until we received the all clear from the Canonsburg Police Department.”

North Strabane Township Police also responded.