SUFFOLK — A man was arrested Friday after entering an elementary school bathroom with children inside and refusing to let anyone in or out for several minutes.
The incident happened at Kilby Shores Elementary School, according to Suffolk police. The man entered the school at about 11:30 a.m., went into a bathroom that was occupied by students, and then refused to let staff in, police said.
The first officers arrived two minutes after getting the call, and took the unarmed man into custody six minutes after arrival, police said. No injuries were reported. The school went into lockdown while the incident was ongoing, but later lifted it.
Vontrail Marquis Thorpe, 42, was charged with two counts of abduction, breaking and entering, possessing drugs on school property, trespassing and disorderly conduct. He’s being held without bond at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail.
A police spokeswoman declined to say how many children were in the bathroom at the time, or how the man was able to keep staff from entering. She referred questions about how he was able to get into the building to the school system, but a spokesperson for Suffolk Public Schools couldn’t immediately be reached.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
