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Stabbing With False 'Gunshots' Leads To Elementary School Lockdown In East Petersburg: Police

 A false report of "gunshots" at what turned out to be a stabbing led to a lockdown at an elementary school and a shelter-in-place order, the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department announced on Tuesday. 

East Petersburg Elementary School and a Northern Lancaster County Regional Police vehicle. 

East Petersburg Elementary School and a Northern Lancaster County Regional Police vehicle. 

Photo Credit: Twitter/Northern Lancaster County Regional Police @RegionalPD86 (overlay); Google Maps (Street View)

Officers with the NLCRPD were called to a stabbing in the 2300 Block of Lawnwood Court in East Petersburg at 9:03 a.m. on Feb. 6.  

Arriving officers found a 42-year-old had been stabbed and the 36-year-old man who allegedly stabbed her fled on foot before the police came. 

The woman was taken by EMS to an area hospital with "non-life-threatening injuries," the police said. 

Then officers went on to explain, that callers to 911 "indicated that 'gunshots' were heard in the area, believed to be associated with the incident," but police later learned "no firearms or gunshots involved or associated with this incident."

Before they had the full picture of the situation the NLCRPD temporarily closed roads, asked residents to shelter in place, and East Petersburg Elementary was placed on temporary lockdown; all as part of "mitigation efforts [...] to ensure public safety until the suspect was located and further assessments could be completed," the police stated in a release.

By Tuesday afternoon, the suspect was identified, located, and taken into custody without further incident. 

All temporary security measures have been lifted. 

 "The NLCRPD thanks the community for their patience and inconvenience during the event," the department said. 

The NLCRPD Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is actively investigating the incident. 

Numerous other agencies assisted during the incident, including the East Hempfield Police, and the Manheim Township Police.

Anyone with information is asked to call NLCRPD at (717)733-0965 or Lancaster County Crime Stoppers at (800) 322-1913. 

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