A shelter-in-place has been ordered at Bates College in Lewiston due to an armed man near the campus.Lewiston city officials also say there is a shelter-in-place at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Lewiston High School and Lewiston Middle School as a result of the incident.Bates College Emergency Management said that at 3:40 p.m. Thursday, the Lewiston Police Department notified the college about an armed individual walking on Campus Avenue from Sabattus Street, toward Central Avenue. An emergency message was sent to members of the college community at that time.A photo taken by a Bates College student and shared with Maine’s Total Coverage shows three law enforcement officers, one of whom has a K-9, on campus with multiple police vehicles in the road nearby.The armed individual is described as a white man in his mid-30s with visible tattoos who was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and black pants.Lewiston communications director Angelynne Amores told Maine’s Total Coverage that the armed man is experiencing a mental health crisis.Text messages sent to members of the Bates College community, which were shared with Maine’s Total Coverage, warned people to avoid the area of Central Avenue and Campus Avenue.In a Facebook post shared at 4:25 p.m., the Lewiston Police Department asked residents in the area of College Street between Sabattus and Russell streets to use caution while officers respond to “an ongoing situation.”Police said local hospitals and schools had gone into a precautionary lockdown.Shortly before 5 p.m., Bates College Emergency Management asked people to the continue to shelter in place, as police were still actively searching the area for the armed man.This is a breaking news story that will be updated. Maine’s Total Coverage is sending a crew to Bates College.Difference between shelter-in-place and lockdown at Bates CollegeThe Bates College website states its Emergency Management practitioners distinguish between a shelter-in-place order and a secure-in-place order, the latter of which is also known as a lockdown.Bates College said that in certain situations, such as a weather emergency, environmental hazard or local emergency, school officials may direct members of the campus community to shelter in place.The college defines a shelter-in-place order as the use of a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate students and staff from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. It entails closing all doors, windows and vents and taking immediate shelter in a readily accessible location. Bates officials said the purpose of a shelter-in-place is to direct the campus community to safer locations to avoid the hazard and to keep campus arteries clear for emergency use.In situations likely involving an immediate physical threat on campus, Bates College said school officials may direct members of the campus community to lockdown or secure in place.College officials said a lockdown may be instructed during situations such as the presence of a hostile or armed intruder on campus. A lockdown requires locking doors, windows and barricading oneself to block entry to a campus facility, a classroom or an office suite. Bates College said the purpose of a secure-in-place order is to create a secure physical location where a threat may be physically prevented from entering campus spaces.More information can be found on the Bates College website.
LEWISTON, Maine —
A shelter-in-place has been ordered at Bates College in Lewiston due to an armed man near the campus.
Lewiston city officials also say there is a shelter-in-place at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Lewiston High School and Lewiston Middle School as a result of the incident.
Bates College Emergency Management said that at 3:40 p.m. Thursday, the Lewiston Police Department notified the college about an armed individual walking on Campus Avenue from Sabattus Street, toward Central Avenue. An emergency message was sent to members of the college community at that time.
A photo taken by a Bates College student and shared with Maine’s Total Coverage shows three law enforcement officers, one of whom has a K-9, on campus with multiple police vehicles in the road nearby.
The armed individual is described as a white man in his mid-30s with visible tattoos who was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and black pants.
Lewiston communications director Angelynne Amores told Maine’s Total Coverage that the armed man is experiencing a mental health crisis.
Text messages sent to members of the Bates College community, which were shared with Maine’s Total Coverage, warned people to avoid the area of Central Avenue and Campus Avenue.
In a Facebook post shared at 4:25 p.m., the Lewiston Police Department asked residents in the area of College Street between Sabattus and Russell streets to use caution while officers respond to “an ongoing situation.”
Police said local hospitals and schools had gone into a precautionary lockdown.
Shortly before 5 p.m., Bates College Emergency Management asked people to the continue to shelter in place, as police were still actively searching the area for the armed man.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated. Maine’s Total Coverage is sending a crew to Bates College.
Difference between shelter-in-place and lockdown at Bates College
The Bates College website states its Emergency Management practitioners distinguish between a shelter-in-place order and a secure-in-place order, the latter of which is also known as a lockdown.
Bates College said that in certain situations, such as a weather emergency, environmental hazard or local emergency, school officials may direct members of the campus community to shelter in place.
The college defines a shelter-in-place order as the use of a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate students and staff from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. It entails closing all doors, windows and vents and taking immediate shelter in a readily accessible location. Bates officials said the purpose of a shelter-in-place is to direct the campus community to safer locations to avoid the hazard and to keep campus arteries clear for emergency use.
In situations likely involving an immediate physical threat on campus, Bates College said school officials may direct members of the campus community to lockdown or secure in place.
College officials said a lockdown may be instructed during situations such as the presence of a hostile or armed intruder on campus. A lockdown requires locking doors, windows and barricading oneself to block entry to a campus facility, a classroom or an office suite. Bates College said the purpose of a secure-in-place order is to create a secure physical location where a threat may be physically prevented from entering campus spaces.
More information can be found on the Bates College website.