Unauthorized entry leads to school lockdown

A man who entered the Chacha Oceanview Middle School yesterday morning but refused to obey protocols prompted the Public School System to completely shut the campus down in an attempt to remove the individual. The person then left the premises before the police arrived.

Saipan Tribune learned that COVMS implemented a schoolwide lockdown late in the morning after an unidentified male individual attempted an unauthorized entry into the campus.

PSS and the Department of Public Safety declined to provide details of the incident, but several unnamed sources said a male individual entered the campus at around 11am yesterday morning for unknown motives. It has yet to be determined whether the man is related to anyone on campus, and what his motive was for entering the campus unauthorized.

The individual allegedly did not adhere to the campus’ security protocols, which led to a heated verbal altercation between him and the school’s staff. The man allegedly refused to comply, so the campus initiated a lockdown and called for police assistance. However, the individual left the premises before authorities could arrive to question him.

As of 4pm yesterday, the school was no longer in lockdown but remains in lockout to prohibit the entrance of unauthorized visitors on campus.

DPS has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

In a PSS statement recounting the events of yesterday, it only said that the school initiated a lockdown at around 11:30am yesterday “to ensure the safety” of all students, staff, and individuals on campus.

“This is in response to an unauthorized campus entry,” said PSS.

It said that DPS was called immediately, and the school executed emergency procedures.

It added that the school transitioned from a lockdown to a lockout at around 1:40pm, prohibiting the entrance of unauthorized visitors on campus.

PSS also assures parents, students, and COVMS staff that security has been amped up to ensure the safety of all.

“To ensure continuous safety, DPS [remained] on campus until 5pm. Classes remain in operation for the remainder of the week with extra security measures in place. The PSS and COVMS administration take the safety of our students, staff, and stakeholders very seriously, and we continue to ensure that we uphold this priority. We thank our stakeholders and community partners for their patience, assistance, and cooperation,” said PSS.