Wittenburg Elementary School was briefly under a “Code-In” earlier today. The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office initiated the code-in status as a precautionary measure. The incident was in relation to a manhunt for a suspect wanted for crimes in Alexander and Catawba Counties. The suspect is now is custody. Information on that story and arrest can be found on this website.
A code-in is used when administration deems a situation requires students are kept contained in the classroom, and no immediate danger to students or staff is perceived. This procedure may vary based on individual school sites and situations. During a code-in, we keep students inside and strictly monitor outside access. In the past, we had issued this code when there was law enforcement activity in the area such as responding to a bank robbery or chasing a fugitive in the area. Normal everyday operating procedures are very similar to a code-in.
Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman said that an officer or officers will remain on the Wittenburg Elementary School campus for the remainder of the school day.