At approximately 10:25 a.m. on Thursday, Richard Montgomery went to “Shelter-in-Place” mode. This lasted until 10:40 a.m. when the area was declared clear of any imminent threat. During the 15 minutes, precautions such as locking exterior doors and removing students from hallways were taken but normal classroom activity continued on.

By MCPS policy, schools are required to have one shelter in place drill each semester, however today’s was not a drill. According to an official announcement from school principal Damon Monteleone, Rockville Police Department received a report around 10:00 a.m. of a suspicious person with what appeared to be a long gun on Fleet St. Officers were dispatched to the scene and alerted the school immediately. After a search, police were able to determine that there was no such threat and school activities were able to return to normal before lunch began.

“I thought it was fantastic,” remarked Monteleone when later asked about the school’s response. “Our staff knows their job and teachers know how to run their classrooms during a [Shelter-in-Place], and, as far as I can tell, instruction continued normally.” Mark Yantsos, head of security at RM, was also praised for his quick actions in corresponding with Rockville Police and the school.

Contrary to the belief of some, the closing of the social studies hallway during lunch was not related to the incident but rather a “medical emergency involving a student,” according to a staff member familiar with the situation.

Monteleone also stressed that at no point in anytime during the situation was there a threat to the school and that the safety and security of the school would always be the top priority. A follow up email sent out to parents later that day has stated that anyone with a question can contact the administrative team by calling (301) 610-8000.