Suspicious person at MCC results in alert to all county schools.

Suspicious person at MCC results in alert to all county schools.

#MasonCountyNews.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

SCOTTVILLE — A suspicious man at the Mason County Central Middle School was confronted by the building’s principal early this morning after the man had apparently followed a teacher and her children to the school and then was walking around the building about 8 a.m.

Superintendent Jeff Mount said the man had been driving a white Chevrolet Tracker and allegedly followed a vehicle driven by a female teacher from downtown Scottville to the school parking lot. The teacher was traveling to school along with her children. The man followed her into the parking lot and then parked in front of her vehicle and proceeding to stare at her, Mount said. The teacher alerted her husband who came to the school to escort her in.

When the man was seen walking in the front of the building, Principal John Russell confronted him. The man stated, according to Mount, that he needed to enroll a 4-year-old child at the school. The man then left in his vehicle and Russell proceeded to follow him by vehicle for a short distance. The middle school’s doors are locked and entry can only be gained through a buzzer system. 

Shortly afterward, an off duty Mason County Sheriff’s Office deputy was at the school dropping his child off. The deputy looked into the matter and contacted the on-duty patrol sergeant who was able to locate the man’s vehicle. Sheriff Kim Cole said the man has had various contact with the sheriff’s office in the past. The man told the sergeant that he was looking for an ex-girlfriend, according to Mount.

“It was not making much sense, but there was no threat and no weapons in his vehicle,” Mount said, adding that staff members should not hesitate to call 911 if the vehicle or man were to reappear at the school, or in the case of any suspicious situation. Students should do the same, or immediately contact a staff person, Mount added.

“It never hurts to err on the side of caution,” Mount said.

“I agree with Mr. Mount that it never hurts to report any type of suspicious activity anywhere, but especially near our schools,” Sheriff Kim Cole said.

Both Mount and Cole said that the Mason County School Safety Planning Team was implemented and all the schools in the county were alerted about the situation. Mount said MCC was placed on “soft” lockdown but the situation was resolved in about 30 minutes.

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