KPD e-News Release: K.P.D. on Dobyns-Bennett Campus for Security Purposes (Update)

	Kingsport Police Department David Quillin, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 • www.KingsportPDBlog.com
NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT:		K.P.D. on Dobyns-Bennett Campus for Security Purposes (Update)
DATE:		November 20, 2019

GENERAL NARRATIVE
On November 20, 2019, there was already a strong Kingsport Police Department presence at Dobyns-Bennett High School due to a threatening note found on campus the previous day. At approximately 12:05 PM, Kingsport Central Dispatch received an unconfirmed citizen report alleging that two individuals had been seen walking in the nearby Highland Community in the vicinity of the school and were possibly in possession of a firearm. Multiple additional K.P.D. Officers converged upon the campus and surrounding neighborhood in both an investigatory and security-oriented role. Meanwhile, out of an abundance of caution, the school campus was placed on lockdown. When the lockdown was announced, with tensions already on edge, several students panicked and ran from the school. Officers providing perimeter security outside of the school saw the students fleeing the school and went inside to investigate a possible cause for their alarm. Ultimately, following an extensive investigation, the presence of the alleged two armed individuals in the adjacent neighborhood was never verified, nor did any incidents actually take place on the school campus. The campus lockdown has since been lifted, and normal school activities have resumed. The threatening note found on campus the previous day remains under active investigation by the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division. As such, the Kingsport Police Department will continue to maintain an increased presence at Dobyns-Bennett for the remainder of the school day today and throughout the school day tomorrow. As previously released: On November 20, 2019 as of approximately 12:30 PM, there is a strong Kingsport Police Department presence at Dobyns-Bennett High School, located at 1 Tribe Way in Kingsport. This presence is out of an abundance of caution in light of a threatening note recently found on campus and in response to unconfirmed issues of concern that have been reported and which are currently under investigation. Again, as of the time of issuance of this news release, there has been no confirmation of any actual incidents occurring on campus today. The increased police presence is strictly in a precautionary, security, and investigatory role. Additional information will be released as it develops.