On Nov. 18 at about 8 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the College of Southern Maryland La Plata Campus after receiving a call from a campus security officer about a male subject in the student lounge with what appeared to be a handgun. Officers arrived within minutes and detained a subject running from the area of the lounge. Officers immediately reviewed surveillance footage which showed a group of at least five people, both male and female, in the room. One of the males was pointing a gun at the others, but none of the people seemed alarmed. From the footage, officers quickly determined the subject they were detaining was indeed with the group of people seen in the lounge. Officers spoke with the man who initially was reluctant to provide any information but eventually told officers the gun was a toy and it belonged to someone else. Forensics personnel processed the scene and recovered white pellets suggesting the gun was an Airsoft pellet gun. Detectives eventually located the person who reportedly brought the toy gun to the campus and are continuing their investigation. Both males are 19-years-old and are enrolled as students. 

Sheriff Rex Coffey, who responded to the scene as soon as he heard the call, said the police response from all of the law enforcement agencies in the area was swift. “We train for these events and overall, our actions and response was right in line with how we prepare for these types of calls. We work closely with campus officers and staff at CSM as well as each and every school in our county to ensure the safety of everyone to the best of our ability.

Previous stories from The Bay Net Staff

Update 9:50pm: 

Shortly before 8 p.m., officers responded to CSM for the report of a man possibly armed with a handgun inside a student lounge.

Moments earlier, a campus officer was monitoring a surveillance camera inside the lounge when he thought he saw a handgun being passed around by a group of people in the room. The campus officer immediately contacted the CCSO and within two minutes officers were on the scene.

At the same time, the people who were in the lounge ran out of the building. One of the persons observed on the video was apprehended and officers determined he did not have a handgun.

However, officers did establish that another person who was with the group may have had a pellet gun which was consistent with what the campus officer observed. Officers are in the process of establishing the identity of the subject who had the weapon.

A lock down was put in place immediately but was lifted after more details emerged about the case. At no time were threats made; however, detectives are continuing to follow leads.

 

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office continuously trains for these types of situations. Anyone with additional information is asked to call (301) 932-2222.

Update 9:02pm:

The emergency is over at La Plata campus resume normal operations.

Previous Release:

Avoid College of Southern Maryland the La Plata Campus.

 

 

Man seen with handgun near BI building. Occupants Lockdown in BI building.