Parents still have questions after Carmalt Elementary School evacuated due to masked man in building

PITTSBURGH — Questions are still unanswered at Carmalt Elementary School Friday, where parents continue to feel relief that no one was hurt during yesterday’s scare, lockdown and evacuation. Many parents told us the experience was traumatic.

Seth Warren has two children at the school. He said the school staff did a great job in a tough situation.

“They mostly talked about how some of their classmates were crying and they were comforting each other,” Warren said. “When something like this happens, everybody is just trying to do the best they can.  that’s a lot of pressure, I don’t envy being under that much pressure, I think every parent feels that.”

Thursday, Carmalt went into lockdown after an unknown man was spotted in the building around 8:30 a.m. with his hood up, and a bandana covering his face. He was seen by a teacher and a custodian, first in a bathroom and then in the gym. The district told Channel 11 they don’t know how he got into the building, saying all doors are locked at all times.

We reached out to the school district with questions from parents, including whether there will be new security measures in place, where is the photo of the suspect they had said they’d disseminate yesterday, and whether it is true the suspect got in through a window, which was circulating around social media?

PPS said in a statement:

“Our Office of School Safety will provide additional support as it evaluates further needs. There is no information about anyone climbing through a window. The windows are secured. It was determined that the photo is not of the suspect. We do not have a photo of the suspect.”

We did receive multiple messages on social media from parents who chose to keep their kids home from school on Friday.

One mom said, “I’m hesitant to send them back until I know the school has hired full-time permanent security, which I was unaware they did not have.”

Channel 11 also reached out to the teachers federation and we have not heard back.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group